Speech impediments

Taking my cue from walking paper's #webpetpeeve idea, where people share annoyances in web design, I want to share my pet peeves about how people communicate.

As a function of listening to people present, or make comments in a classroom environment (and I do a lot of this), I have started to compile my list of annoyances. (Consider this an addendum to my previous post about not having enough training as educators)

#1. Up talking. (or HRTs) I know a lot of people don't even notice it, but it drives me totally bonkers. Females and teenagers are particularly prone, but males and other age groups are not immune.

#2. Not forming concise statements. The whole world benefits when you attempt to communicate ideas in fewer words. I know you love to hear your own voice, but really now.

#2.5 Unnecessary repetition. Some phrases just bear repeating ("Yes we can."). On the other hand, repeating your same idea over and over as you attempt to make it clearer in your own mind just fills the room with additional hot air.

#3. Slow talking. When combined with #2, time slows down to an improbable level, and even light cannot escape. I think Keanu Reeves used this technique to avoid bullets in The Matrix.

#4. Poor word choice. Granted, sometimes in the heat of the moment, we all choose the wrong word. But, please, don't just pull words from thin air. I know the big ones are so juicy and tempting.

#5. Filler phrases. "Um" and "er" are bad enough, but when you insist on adding "You know?" to the end of every sentence, well then, I don't want to.