Ums and Ers in Speech: Should we be concerned?
Fillers in conversation, like ‘um’ and ‘er’, tend to be viewed negatively. However, there’s plenty of evidence that they serve a valuable purpose during communication. In this article, we’ll look at some of the suggested meanings behind these discourse markers, with the aim of breaking negative connotations.
If you’re aware of your use of these utterances and are concerned about how you use them, hopefully, I can put you at ease.
‘Um’ is also known as, or can sound like, ‘em’ or ‘mmm’.
‘Er’ is is also known as, or can sound like, ‘uh’ or ‘ah’.
Vocal Delivery is an area of Nonverbal Communication
A large area of nonverbal communication is vocal delivery—how we deliver our words. This area includes speed, pitch, volume, intonation, inflexion, etcetera—anything that isn’t an exact word. When people struggle with the concept that nonverbal communication forms the majority component of our communication, it’s usually because they think of body language and facial expression as nonverbal communication, not realising the vocal delivery is also a key area.
A statement can take on different implied meanings, depending on where the vocal emphasis is placed. Let’s take the statement, ‘I didn’t say he lost his car’, try saying this with emphasis on each word in the statement each time you say it. It sounds different each time.
Every time you shift the emphasis to another word, consider what the implied meaning could be.
For example, if the emphasis is placed on the word ‘car’, the implied meaning could be that ‘he’ lost something else, not his ‘car’. Perhaps he lost his ‘card’. What else could be implied by this single, short statement? This is one way nonverbal communication adds meaning to verbal communication.
Since utterances like ums and ers are not exact words, they fall under the umbrella of nonverbal communication. That said, some researchers would argue that the meanings of these utterances are so specific that they are part of language and should therefore be classed as words.
Ums and Ers are Filled Pauses
One long-standing and commonly known theory is that ums and ers are filled pauses. Typically when a speaker (silently) pauses during a conversation, the conversation partner sees this as their cue to start talking. By filling the pause with an um or er, the speaker gains the time to gather their thoughts and at the same time is signalling, “I’m not done yet”. They hold the floor of the conversation without being interrupted. In public speaking, however, they don’t serve the same purpose as a signal, because the communication is typically one way—the floor is already held.
These pauses are needed during most interactions, to provide speakers with time to recall, search for or select the relevant word or phrase so that they can correctly express themselves. Depending on who we’re talking to and what we’re talking about, we adapt our words and construct our sentences to give the receiver the message we want them to receive. Some people do the same thing with nonverbal communication, deliberately using specific behaviours to assist in getting the right message across. This can be tied to deception, which leads me to the next point—ums and ers as a way of self-correcting.
Ums and Ers to Self-Correct
Sometimes, ums and ers are used in speech directly after misspoken words or phrases. Typically, these are shorter, sharper utterances, which can sound like desperate attempts to erase what was said. Of course, when these happen, it doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is being deceptive, they may have just used the wrong expression. So if you find yourself doing this, don’t panic that it seems like you’re lying. This is a typical way of self-correction and none of us are perfectly fluent.
I’d be interested to hear Statement Analyst, Colin Ector’s comments on this, with his expertise in statement analysis, from the perspective of deception detection. Colin joined My Alcomy recently as a contributor to the blog and statement analysis service provider.
Er as a Warning Signal of an Upcoming Statement
Sometimes an er is used before the speaker makes a statement which could result in a negative response by the conversation partner (or audience). This type of er, as filled pause, perhaps signals the speaker’s hesitation, signalling, “I know this sounds bad, but…”, signalling a warning to get ready for what’s about to be said.
For example, “Er, excuse me, would you mind not smoking in the queue? It’s bothering me quite a bit and I think the other people are affected too.” This is what I once said to someone smoking in a long and winding taxi queue outside Sydney airport. The (pre-social distancing) queue was so tightly packed that many of us were inhaling his smoke. People around were visibly bothered and rightly so. I’m assuming the smoker was desperate for a smoke after a flight. The queue was directly outside the airport doors and was much longer than usual, so his urgency to get into the queue probably came before finding somewhere more acceptable to smoke.
I had a feeling someone was going to say something and I was concerned that a fight might break out, taking us all down with it. So I figured, that I (once labelled ‘the diplomat’ as a child) was the right person to deliver it. I knew that I may receive a negative response but I’m a firm believer that you can say awkward or sensitive things in a nice way. Part of this is using positive nonverbal behaviours to soften the blow of the statement. In hindsight, I’m not sure what behaviours I used, but knowing myself, it was most probably a smile and an initial brief touch on the forearm to get his attention. For once, being tiny felt like an advantage and probably negated potential perceptions of dominance and aggression. And I was sure that if I was in trouble people would step in to help. Side note for bartenders—please serve small people.
His response, “Of course—sorry”, as he exhaled up into the air, then extinguished his cigarette. I observed simultaneous relief and quiet exhales in those around me. I followed with a big smile, a nod and a “thank you”, as everybody turned away, resuming their queuing orientation.
Teachers Using Er for Attention and Command
When I lived in the UK, a lot of my work was based in schools working with teachers or students. With colleagues, I’d visit schools, mostly in the North West, often working in several schools each week. We’d notice the use of loud, audible er, as a command by teachers to gain the attention of the children to settle them down. This er seemed to resonate from deep within the chest and is most certainly an attention grabber. Sometimes it would catch me off guard and I’d jump in response.
The teachers would use this when students behaviour became rowdy or unacceptable. I’m not sure if this otherwise uncommon behaviour is limited to North West or UK schools, or whether it happens elsewhere too. If you’re a teacher, please share your thoughts.
This type of er often had no words surrounding it, but a long pause and hard stare followed. Before long, I found myself using it in the schools I visited, for the same reasons. The habit seems to spread easily. Thinking logically, I think it’s a warning signal. Despite usually having no words surrounding it, perhaps this is a warning that if student behaviour didn’t change, trouble was to come. Perhaps the er was all that needed to be said after previous conditioning that an er of this nature comes with stern words and the possibility of punishment. Pavlov’s Dogs springs to mind.
Ums and Ers are not a Stress Behaviour
Contrary to what many people believe, ums and ers are not indicative of stress. Research suggests the same utterances don’t decrease when we’re chilling with the family.
Ums and Ers Don’t Always Indicate a Lack of Confidence
While ums and ers typically increase when we are unprepared, for example, during public speaking or when speaking on a topic we don’t know much about, it doesn’t mean the speaker lacks confidence. Because being unprepared doesn’t always go hand in hand with a lack of confidence. An over-use of ums and ers can be an issue for over-confident people who don’t bother preparing for a speech and for those who aren’t overly confident but decide to wing it.
Ums and Ers in Public Speaking
Even when a speaker is prepared and well-rehearsed, ums and ers can still occur during public speaking. In this case, they are not signalling to hold the floor, since they already hold it, but the speaker may still use them as a means to pause and gather their thoughts.
Generally speaking, and especially in regards to public speaking, people view these utterances negativity. Rehearsing and preparing can reduce the amount of ums and ers because the preparation in thinking and delivering has been done. However, if you’re giving a talk and you’re well prepared, keep an eye on your pace and don’t try to eliminate pauses, to give your audience time to process.
What’s interesting are studies into how listeners respond to these filled pauses, especially those in the field of neuroscience. Activation in the brain’s of listeners, suggests that ums and ers can act as a cue to pay attention to what’s coming—engagement is held at these points! So maybe there are benefits to moderate use of ums and ers during public speaking. What’s more, there’s evidence suggesting that listeners can better recognise words after ums and ers and that there are no detrimental effects.
Like with using most nonverbal behaviours, there’s a sweet spot. If your speech is filled to the brim with ums and ers, whether it’s true or not, you’re more likely to be perceived as not being prepared or not being competent. So take preparation seriously. And when ums and ers happen in moderation, embrace your filled pauses.
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Thank you,
—Sophie
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