You Can "Go Ahead" and Drop the Filler Words

I really appreciate the recorded presentations on ASP.NET AJAX and Silverlight from Microsoft. However, the latest "beat pause" phrase by MS speakers is getting on my nerves. 

A single verb isn't sufficient at present. You don't "drag a control" onto a page, you "go ahead and drag" it. Participants aren't invited to "download" the sample after the talk, they should "go ahead and download" the code.

Well, the next time you're giving a talk, why not "go ahead and count" how many times you're using the nonsense phrase? As you're about to utter the useless filler words, you can "go ahead and stop".

What will the next pause word be? "Exactly" was hot for awhile and "absolutely" still has fans. Starting a sentence with "So" has faded marginally in the last while but remains in the MS top ten. Years ago, "Like" and "I mean" were the popular sentence starters among those who found themselves talking before they knew what they were going to say.

8 Comments

  • I think you need to "go ahead" and review some of the blog posts you've written in the past. Not trying to be funny, but you've cited something that I think we can all start doing a better job at. MS and non-MS alike.

  • Hey Samuel, I agree that patterns of speech are incredibly infectious and the speaker/victim is often oblivious. I may have picked up some myself!

    MS is so dominant in the software world that developers and speakers around the world "go ahead" and pick up phrases that were long ago "baked into" a demo recorded in a Redmond office.

  • I thought I was the only one who was on the verge of screaming out loud with the next utterance of "go ahead"! I'm really glad you went ahead and wrote this. ;-P

  • It's similar to where a co-worker has body odour. Someone has to screw up the courage to say something so the rest can stop cringing.

    BTW, "go ahead" and send a link to my post to anyone who might need a gentle reminder.

  • Kirk,

    My British-born mother was strict about the use of language and correct us frequently.

    When I hear "MS-Speak" at a conference, I'm tempted to shout out what my Mom would say to her sons:

    "Speak properly!"

  • ++

    I am SUPER EXCITED you wrote this post. SO, let's GO AHEAD and, UM, UM, boo loudly the next time it happens - seriously, see it as a CALL TO ACTION.

  • I'm so glad that I'm not the only person bothered by the continual and over use of this phrase! Is this a sign of the times caused by abbreviation of our language due to text and instant messaging? Are so many people feeling deprived of the use of normal communication that they have to 'plug in' unnecessary words ... please, someone let them know that this is a gross mis-use of the language ... and worse yet, it's become so common place that many people think it's correct grammar. This phrase is used on TV programs, infomercials, etc... to such an extent that I fear it will turn up in the next addition of "new words and phrases" added to Websters next year! I'm not an English major, but my ear knows when the language is being miss-used ... Please, make them stop!

  • Wow. A bit touchy, aren't we all???
    "Go ahead and" before a verb is unnecessary. I absolutely agree. However, playing devil's advocate (as I frequently do), it seems to soften and personalize a message or instruction that might otherwise sound dictatorial.

    I have a personal bias against the deep-South "ya'all drawl" but it's a comfort zone for a great many people I do not wish to offend, so I just listen, and smile and glance at my watch frequently.

    Breathe, people, breathe!

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