Many words that we say automatically can tell us more about ourselves than it seems. Linguists and psychologists believe that our favorite filler words reflect not only speech habits but also a person's inner state — from anxiety to self-confidence.
“By the way” is often used by people who lack attention. They may feel insecure in a new company and try to cover their embarrassment by inserting this word into the conversation even without reason.
“In short” is a signal of haste and irritability. It is often overused by hot-tempered, impulsive, or simply very talkative people who find it difficult to keep their thoughts in check.
“That thing” reveals lazy and inconsistent natures. Such people are hard to call reliable — they tend to shift responsibility and avoid punishment, skillfully evading direct answers.
“Actually” is characteristic of insecure people prone to conflict. They often use it to emphasize their opinion or justify their irritation.
“In fact” is loved by self-assured and egocentric individuals who are confident in their correctness. They rarely listen to others and often perceive their interlocutors as spectators.
“Like” and “means” are most commonly found among conservatives who dislike change and are ready to assert their opinions forcefully.
“Kind of” reveals creative and dreamy individuals living in their inner world. This expression helps them soften the definitiveness of their statements and emphasize the relativity of what is happening.
“Just” is often used by those who are afraid to take responsibility. These people tend to make excuses and depend on the opinions of others.
