The Power of Hesitation

Hesitations have historically not been considered a “proper” part of language. What were they initially labeled as?

• Sentence stoppers

• Errors

• Distractions

• Linking words

How often do hesitations occur?

• 2-3 times per minute

• 5-7 times per minute

• 10-15 times per minute

• 1 time per minute

Which of the following is NOT a function of filled pauses in conversation?

• They let the listener know that an important word or idea is on the way.

• They keep us from being interrupted by signaling that we are not done talking.

• They give extra time to find the correct word/phrase to complete a thought.

• They help a speaker compose formal works of writing.

A 2011 study showed that toddlers correctly identified uncommon words more often when they were preceded by a filled pause. What does this tell us about the role of filled pauses in language learning?

• Filled pauses prime toddlers to identify words they already know.

• Filled pauses are the only reason toddlers learn new words.

• Filled pauses help toddlers link new words to new objects.

• Filled pauses slow down the acquisition of new words.

The words “like” and “well”, and the phrase “you know” share many of the same functions as filled pauses such as “eh” and “em”. What is the specific term for these words?

• Flexible wording

• Discourse markers

• Structural phrases

• None of the above