(re-post)
On the radio the announcer commented that a magazine was "ribbled". My ears rolled around that interesting adjective and suddenly the brain flashed – "ribald" – and my eyebrows went up. I thought it was pronounced rye-bald! Isn't it? Or has it more than one way of being said, like "controversy" and "umbilical"?
Later on the radio the person being interviewed said "you know" constantly in his replies to the questions. I hate it when I become aware of this (and I become aware of it because I know I have done it myself!) because then I begin to anticipate the next "you know" and lose track of the conversation. What is this fascinating and irritating phenomenon called, this peppering of a word or a phrase into speech? How does one correct it?
And under this category does the growing trend to start a sentence with "So…." qualify? I first noticed this habit several months ago in broadcasts from Australia (good ol' CBC Overnight Radio). Now it is occurring in Canadian programs. So, what should I think about all this?