Why do we, like, hesitate when we, um, speak? - Lorenzo García-Amaya

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

For as long as we’ve had language, some people have tried to control it.

自從我們有語言以來， 就有些人想要控制它。

And some of the most frequent targets of this communication regulation

這種溝通管控的常見目標

are the ums, ers, and likes that pepper our conversations.

包括對談中無所不在的 「嗯」、「呃」等用語。

Ancient Greek and Latin texts warned against speaking with hesitation,

古希臘及拉丁文本中都有警告 不得在說話時猶豫，

modern schools have tried to ban the offending terms,

現代的學校也嘗試禁止 這些令人厭惡的用語，

and renowned linguist Noam Chomsky dismissed these expressions as “errors”

知名的語言學家諾姆杭士基

將這些表述方式視為「錯誤」， 對語言毫無意義，不用理睬。

irrelevant to language.

Historically, these speech components had been lumped

在歷史上，這些說話的元素被歸併為

into the broader bucket of “disfluencies”—

一個概括的大類，「不流暢詞」——

linguistic fillers which distract from useful speech.

讓人分心、填補說話停頓的用詞。

However, none of this controversy has made these so-called disfluencies less common.

然而，這類爭議都沒有 讓這些所謂的不流暢詞減少。

They continue to occur roughly 2 to 3 times per minute in natural speech.

在自然說話的狀態下，不流暢詞 每分鐘仍會出現二到三次。

And different versions of them can be found in almost every language,

且幾乎每種語言中都有 不同版本的不流暢詞，

including sign language.

連手語也有。

So are ums and uhs just a habit we can’t break?

所以「嗯」和「呃」 是我們無法打破的習慣嗎？

Or is there more to them than meets the ear?

或者它們的意義不只是如此而已？

To answer this question, it helps to compare these speech components

要回答這個問題，

可以將這些說話的元素拿來 和我們其他日常用詞做比較。

to other words we use in everyday life.

While a written word might have multiple definitions,

雖然一個書面文字可能會有多重定義，

we can usually determine its intended meaning through context.

我們通常可以透過前後文 來判斷它的本意。

In speech however, a word can take on additional layers of meaning.

然而在言談中，一個詞 可能還有其他層面的意思。

Tone of voice, the relationship between speakers,

語調、交談者彼此的關係，

and expectations of where a conversation will go

以及對於談話目標的期望，

can imbue even words that seem like filler with vital information.

都可能讓看似填補停頓的用詞 充滿重要的資訊。

This is where “um” and “uh” come in.

這就是「嗯」和「呃」 派上用場的地方了，

Or “eh” and “ehm,” “tutoa” and “öö,” “eto” and “ano.”

而各種語言都有不同的說法， 像是日文裡的「欸多」和「啊挪」。

Linguists call these filled pauses, which are a kind of hesitation phenomenon.

語言學家把它們稱為填補停頓詞，

代表一種猶豫的現象。

And these seemingly insignificant interruptions

這些似乎不重要的中斷

are actually quite meaningful in spoken communication.

在言談溝通中其實頗具意義。

For example, while a silent pause might be interpreted

比如，無聲的停頓可能可以詮釋為

as a sign for others to start speaking,

暗示其他人可以開始發言，

a filled pause can signal that you’re not finished yet.

填補停頓詞可以暗示你還沒有講完。

Hesitation phenomena can buy time for your speech to catch up with your thoughts,

猶豫現象可以幫你爭取時間，

讓言語趕上思路，

or to fish out the right word for a situation.

或者找出適合這個情境的用詞。

And they don’t just benefit the speaker—

且受益的不只是發言者——

a filled pause lets your listeners know an important word is on the way.

填補停頓詞可以讓聽者知道

你即將要說出重要的話了。

Linguists have even found that people are more likely

語言學家甚至發現，

大家比較容易記住 在猶豫之後說出來的話。

to remember a word if it comes after a hesitation.

Hesitation phenomena aren’t the only parts of speech

除了猶豫現象之外，

言語還有一些其他部分 也在對話中有其他意義。

that take on new meaning during dialogue.

Words and phrases such as “like,” “well” or “you know”

「然後」、「欸」、 「你知道的」等用詞

function as discourse markers,

具有言談標記的功能，

ignoring their literal meaning to convey something about the sentence

不用它們的字面意思 來傳達所屬句子的訊息。

in which they appear.

Discourse markers direct the flow of conversation,

言談標記能引導談話，

and some studies suggest that conscientious speakers

有些研究指出，費心的演說者

use more of these phrases to ensure everyone is being heard and understood.

會使用較多這些詞，

以確保每個人說的話 都能被聽見、聽懂。

For example, starting a sentence with “Look...”

比如，用「聽著……」 來當句子的開頭，

can indicate your attitude and help you gauge the listener’s agreement.

能夠點出你的態度， 並協助你評估聽者是否認同。

“I mean” can signal that you’re about to elaborate on something.

「我的意思是」暗示 你接下來要說明某件事。

And the dreaded “like” can perform many functions,

大家最常聽到的「然後」 具有許多功能，

such as establishing a loose connection between thoughts,

如：在兩個想法之間 建立鬆散的連結，

or introducing someone else's words or actions.

或者提出別人的說法或做法。

These markers give people a real-time view into your thought process

這些標記可以讓別人 即時了解你的思考過程，

and help listeners follow, interpret, and predict what you’re trying to say.

並協助聽者領會、詮釋， 及預測你想說什麼。

Discourse markers and hesitation phenomena

言談標記和猶豫現象

aren’t just useful for understanding language—

不僅能用來協助了解語言，

they help us learn it too.

也能幫助我們學習語言。

In 2011, a study showed toddlers common and uncommon objects

2011 年的一項研究把常見 和不常見的物品拿給學步兒童，

alongside a recording referring to one of the items.

每件物品會搭配一段錄音， 指出該物品是什麼。

When a later recording asked them to identify the uncommon object,

接著錄音會再要求他們 辨識出那件不常見的物品，

toddlers performed better if that instruction contained a filled pause.

如果指示中含有填補停頓詞，

學步兒童的表演會較佳。

This may mean that filled pauses cue toddlers to expect novel words,

這可能表示，

填補停頓詞提示學步兒童 接下來會有新詞出現，

and help them connect new words to new objects.

並協助他們將新詞 與新物體建立連結。

For adolescents and adults learning a second language,

對於學習第二語言的青少年和成人，

filled pauses smooth out awkward early conversations.

填補停頓詞能讓初期生澀的對談 變得更流暢平順一些。

And once they’re more confident,

等到他們更有自信了，

the second-language learner can signal their newfound fluency

第二語言學習者就能用 更適當的猶豫現象，

by using the appropriate hesitation phenomenon.

呈現他們新習得的流暢度。

Because, contrary to popular belief,

因為，和一般的認知相反，

the use of filled pauses doesn't decrease with mastery of a language.

填補停頓詞的使用 並不會隨著精通該種語言而減少。

Just because hesitation phenomena and discourse markers

雖然猶豫現象和言談標記

are a natural part of communication doesn’t mean they’re always appropriate.

是溝通中很自然的一部分，

但不表示使用它們一定很恰當。

Outside of writing dialogue, they serve no purpose in most formal writing.

除了撰寫對白以外，

它們在大部分正式書寫中 都是沒有功能的；

And in some contexts, the stigma these social cues carry

在某些情況下， 這些用詞在社交上的汙名

can work against the speaker.

反而對發言者不利。

But in most conversations, these seemingly senseless sounds

但在大部分的對談中， 這些看似無謂的聲音

can convey a world of meaning.

可以傳達很多意義。