[ExI] You know what?

[Stefano Vaj]

On Jan 23, 2008 3:55 PM, Mike Dougherty <msd001 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jan 23, 2008 8:19 AM, Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com> wrote:
> > In fact, it has a precise meaning, which can be expanded: "And have
> > you considered, and can you imagine, what I am now going to tell you,
>
> Along this vein, "you know what?" is a preamble used to alert the
> receiver they should begin listening.  Part of this protocol requires
> the receiver to provide confirmation/assurance the sender can begin.
> (Eye contact may be sufficient, but a child might continue to pause
> until the expected "no, what?" is supplied)

This opens the fascinating and not entirely remote possibility that
the abusers may end up totally disappointed by a swift and
condescending "I know, I know" return... :-)

> I haven't observed "you know what" increase in frequency, but I have
> become overtly aware of "you know" being abused in speech.

Same in Italian. And "you know", btw, is a statement, not a
question... An alternative implication might be "You know what I mean,
so I would not really need to elaborate this point any further, but I
am doing it anyway".

Stefano Vaj