Language tics — those habitual, often unconscious features of speech like “um,” “like,” or overusing “sorry” — are a form of disfluency studied in both sociolinguistics & psycholinguistics. Far from random, these elements often serve strategic functions: signalling hesitation, maintaining conversational flow, or managing interpersonal dynamics (Tannen, 1989). Yet, despite their communicative value, many speakers perceive them as flaws — a tension that reveals much about social norms, self-monitoring & linguistic insecurity.
This tension between function & stigma was at the heart of a recent study by Preply, which sheds light on the linguistic tics that Americans are most keen to drop — & which ones they’re surprisingly proud of. Drawing on a nationwide survey, the research gives us a snapshot of how people perceive their own speech & where they feel there’s room for improvement.
Aside from their entertainment value, these findings have real implications for how we understand communication, identity & the emotional layers behind spoken language.
How the study was conducted
The researchers surveyed participants across all U.S. states about their use of filler words, common speech tics, self-perception & whether they’ve tried to modify their language. Each response received a score based on frequency of undesired habits — from over-apologising to fast speech — resulting in a state-by-state ranking from “most to least room for improvement.”
Top three states for self-reported bad habits? Indiana, Colorado & Nebraska — with common patterns including fast speech, trouble finding the right word, & compulsive “sorry”-saying. Missouri, Kansas & Ohio residents reported greater confidence — both in speech habits & regional accents.
Key findings
Filler words are everywhere: “Um,” “so” & “like” top the list nationally. Gen Z leans heavily on “like,” while boomers stick with “okay.”
Top 3 tics to ditch:
- Struggling to find the right word
- Talking too fast
- Over-apologising
Who’s correcting us? Mostly romantic partners, followed by friends & family. Helpful? Maybe. Annoying? Often.
Accent & dialect pride varies: Over 80% of those with regional features feel proud of them — but Southerners are the most likely to report shame around pronunciation.
Consequences beyond the classroom: People report that their speech habits impact career prospects & even dating confidence.
This survey-based insight dovetails with work on speech production & fluency. Research by Clark & Fox Tree (2002) explores how fillers serve a communicative function — buying cognitive time during lexical retrieval. Similarly, Krashen’s Affective Filter hypothesis reminds us that anxiety about how we sound can block output altogether. In short: how we feel about our language habits matters — a lot.
Teacher Takeaways?
- Demystify tics & fillers: These are not always signs of poor language skills. Use authentic audio to analyse how fluent speakers use (or avoid) them strategically.
- Support better pacing: Talking too fast increases cognitive load. Train learners to embrace the pause — it’s a sign of control, not hesitation.
- Address apologies pragmatically: Language learners often overuse “sorry.” Help them reframe with functionally appropriate alternatives (e.g. “Thanks for your patience”).
Do your learners talk about the habits they want to change — or the ones they want to keep?
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