Prof. Cohen: You Can Overcome 'Filler Words' in Everyday Speech
July 26, 2016
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Steven D. Cohen, assistant professor in the University of Baltimore's Klein Family School of Communications Design, tells the website Quartz that the human tendency to use "filler words" such as "uh" and "um" in everyday speech can be overcome. Doing so can have a significant effect on how people perceive a speaker, Cohen says.
Cohen joins other speech experts in the article to analyze the tendency—prevalent in every culture around the globe, Cohen says—to fill in verbal pauses with words and phrases. He also provides advice on how to overcome the habit, in order to become a more articulate, convincing speaker and conversationalist, whether the setting is a lunchtime gathering with friends or a formal speech in front of many strangers.
Once a speaker recognizes the tendency in him- or herself, Cohen suggests, the first step is to ask friends or family members to point it out the instant it happens, e.g., in a practice setting, the listeners clap each time the speaker uses a filler word.
But more important than changing the habit, Cohen says, is learning the power of a natural pause when speaking.
"A simple pause can have a dramatic impact on our filler word use and how other people perceive us," he says.
Read the article in Quartz.
Learn more about Prof. Cohen and the Klein Family School of Communications Design at the University of Baltimore.