filler (linguistics)

Every conversation involves turn-taking, which means that whenever someone wants to speak and hears a pause, they do so. Pauses are commonly used to indicate that someone's turn has ended, which can create confusion when someone has not finished a thought but has paused to form a thought; in order to prevent this confusion, they will use a filler word such as um, er, or uh.{{Cite journal|last1=Crible|first1=L|last2=Pascual|first2=E|date=2020|title=Combinations of discourse markers with repairs and repetitions in English, French and Spanish|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378216618306386|journal=Journal of Pragmatics|volume=156|pages=156, 54–67|doi=10.1016/j.pragma.2019.05.002|hdl=1854/LU-8747324|s2cid=182739572|hdl-access=free}} The use of a filler word indicates that the other person should continue listening instead of speaking.{{Cite book|last1=Curzan|first1=A|title=How English works: A linguistic introduction|last2=Adams|first2=M|publisher=Pearson|year=2014|isbn=978-0-205-03228-0|pages=253–256}}

Filler words generally contain little to no lexical content, but instead provide clues to the listener about how they should interpret what the speaker has said.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-filler-word-1690859|title=Um, Is This, You Know, a Filler Word?|last1=Ph. D.|first1=Rhetoric and English|last2=M. A.|first2=Modern English and American Literature|website=ThoughtCo|language=en|access-date=2020-03-28|last3=B. A.|first3=English}} The actual words that people use may change (such as the increasing use of like), but the meaning and the reasons for using them do not change.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/um-like-filler-words-discourse-markers-why-use-er-you-know-a7665721.html|title=Why you say 'um' 'like' and 'you know?' so much|date=2017-04-04|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-03-28}}

In American English, the most common filler sounds are uh {{IPAc-en|ʌ}}, ah {{IPAc-en|ɑː}}, and um {{IPAc-en|ʌ|m}}. In British English, the equivalents are er {{IPAc-en|ɜː}} and erm {{IPAc-en|ɜː|m}}.{{Cite journal |title=Disfluency Rates in Conversation: Effects of Age, Relationship, Topic, Role, and Gender |author=BORTFELD & al. |journal=Language and Speech |year=2001 |number=2 |volume=44 |pages=123–147 |url=http://psychology.psy.sunysb.edu/sbrennan-/papers/bortetal.pdf |doi=10.1177/00238309010440020101 |pmid=11575901 |citeseerx=10.1.1.10.8339 |s2cid=10985337 }} Among younger speakers, the fillers "like",{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11426737|title=It's, like, so common|last=Winterman|first=Denise|date=2010-09-28|work=BBC News |access-date=2017-12-17|language=en-GB}} "you know", "I mean", "okay", "so", "actually", "basically", and "right?" are among the more prevalent.{{cite book |last1=Elangovan |first1=Alan |title=Discovering Body Language: For Your Eyes Only |date=2024 |publisher=Partridge Publishing |location=Singapore |isbn=9781543781724 |page=740 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0BUGEQAAQBAJ&pg=PT740}}

• In Afrikaans, {{lang|af|ah}}, {{lang|af|um}}, and {{lang|af|uh}} are common fillers (um, and uh being in common with English).
• In American Sign Language, UM can be signed with open-8 held at chin, palm in, eyebrows down (similar to FAVORITE); or bilateral symmetric bent-V, palm out, repeated axial rotation of wrist (similar to QUOTE).
• In Arabic, {{lang|ar|يعني}} {{lang|ar-Latn|yaʿni}} ("means") and {{lang|ar|وﷲ}} {{lang|ar-Latn|wallāh(i)}} ("by God") are common fillers. In Moroccan Arabic, {{lang|ar|زعمة}} {{lang|ar-Latn|z3ma}} ("like") is a common filler, as well as {{lang|ar-Latn|ewa}} (so).{{cite web |url=http://www.unilang.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=27708&p=552394 |title=yanni |work=UniLang |access-date=2017-12-17 }}{{cite web|url=http://egyptianarabiccourse.blogspot.com/2008/03/lesson-one.html |title=Egyptian Arabic Dialect Course |publisher=Egyptianarabiccourse.blogspot.com |date=2008-03-17 |access-date=2019-04-08}} In Iraqi Arabic, {{lang|ar-Latn|shisma}} ("what's its name") is a filler.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ynmIk1i6CT0C&pg=PA3 |title=Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XV |date= January 2003|access-date=2019-04-08|isbn=90-272-4759-5 |last1=Parkinson |first1=Dilworth B. |last2=Farwaneh |first2=Samira |publisher=John Benjamins }}
• In Armenian, {{lang|am|բան}} {{lang|am-Latn|ban}} ("thing"), {{lang|am|Միգուցե}} {{lang|am-Latn|Miguts'e}}, ("maybe"), {{lang|am|էլի}} {{lang|am-Latn|ēli}} ("c'mon") and {{lang|am|ոնց որ}} {{lang|am-Latn|vonts' vor}} ("as if") are common fillers.*
• In Bengali, {{lang|bn|ইয়ে}} ({{lang|bn-Latn|yay}} and {{lang|bn-Latn|thuri}} ("..er..that is")) are common fillers.
• In Bislama, {{lang|bi|ah}} is the common filler.
• In Bulgarian, common fillers are {{lang|bg|ъ}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|uh}}), {{lang|bg|амии}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|amii}}, 'well'), {{lang|bg|тъй}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|tui}}, 'so'), {{lang|bg|така}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|taka}}, 'thus'), {{lang|bg|добре}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|dobre}}, 'well'), {{lang|bg|такова}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|takova}}, 'this') and {{lang|bg|значи}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|znachi}}, 'it means'), {{lang|bg|нали}} ({{lang|bg-Latn|nali}}, 'right').
• In Cantonese, speakers often say {{lang|zh|即係}} {{lang|yue|zik1 hai6}} ("that is to say"; "meaning") and {{lang|zh|噉}} {{lang|yue|gam2}} ("so; then") as fillers.
• In Catalan, {{lang|ca|eh?}} {{IPA|/ɛ/}}, {{lang|ca|doncs}} ("so"), {{lang|ca|llavors}} ("therefore"), {{lang|ca|o sigui}} ("it means"), saps? ("you know"?) and {{lang|ca|diguem-ne}} ("say") are common fillers.
• In Croatian, the words {{lang|hr|ovaj}} (literally "this one", but the meaning is lost) and {{lang|hr|dakle}} ("so"), and {{lang|hr|znači}} ("meaning", "it means") are frequent.
• In Czech, fillers are called {{lang|cs|slovní vata}}, meaning "word cotton/padding", or {{lang|cs|parasitické výrazy}}, meaning "parasitic expressions". The most frequent fillers are {{lang|cs|čili}}, {{lang|cs|tak}} or {{lang|cs|takže}} ("so"), {{lang|cs|prostě}} ("simply"), {{lang|cs|jako}} ("like").
• In Danish, {{lang|da|øh}} and {{lang|da|øhm}} are among the most common fillers.
• In Dhivehi, {{lang|da|aney}}, {{lang|da|mee}}, {{lang|da|ehkala}}, {{lang|da|dhen}} and {{lang|da|alhey}} ("aww") are some common fillers.
• In Dutch, {{lang|nl|ehm}}, and {{lang|nl|dus}} ("thus") are some of the more common fillers. Also {{lang|nl|eigenlijk}} ("actually"), {{lang|nl|zo}} ("so"), {{lang|nl-BE|allez}} ("come on") and {{lang|nl|zeg maar}} ("so to say") in Netherlandic Dutch, {{lang|nl|nou}} ("well") or {{lang|nl-BE|(a)wel}} ("well") in Belgian Dutch, {{lang|nl-NL|weet je?}} ("you know?") etc.
• In Esperanto, {{lang|eo|nu}} ("well") and {{lang|eo|do}} ("so") are the most common fillers.
• In Estonian, {{lang|et|nii}} ("so") is one of the most common fillers.
• In Filipino, {{lang|fil|ah}}, {{lang|fil|eh}}, {{lang|fil|ay}}, and {{lang|fil|ano}} ("what"), {{lang|fil|parang}} ("like"), {{lang|fil|diba?}} ("isn't it right?"), {{lang|fil|ayun}} ("that's") are the most common fillers.
• In Finnish, {{lang|fi|niinku}} ("like"), {{lang|fi|tuota}}, and {{lang|fi|öö}} are the most common fillers. Swearing is also used as a filler often, especially among youth. The most common swear word for that is {{lang|fi|vittu}}, which is a word for female genitalia.
• In Metropolitan French, {{lang|fr|euh}} {{IPA|/ø/}} is most common; other words used as fillers include {{lang|fr|quoi}} ("what"), {{lang|fr|bah}}, {{lang|fr|ben}} ("well"), {{lang|fr|tu vois}} ("you see"), {{lang|fr|t'vois c'que j'veux dire?}} ("you see what I mean?"), {{lang|fr|tu sais}}, {{lang|fr|t'sais}} ("you know"), {{lang|fr|eh bien}} (roughly "well", as in "Well, I'm not sure"), and {{lang|fr|du coup}} (roughly "suddenly"). Outside France other expressions are {{lang|fr-CA|t'sais veux dire?}} ("y'know what I mean?"; Québec), or {{lang|fr-BE|allez une fois}} ("go one time"; especially in Brussels, not in Wallonia). Additional filler words used by youngsters include {{lang|fr|genre}} ("kinda", "like"), {{lang|fr|comme}} ("like"), and {{lang|fr|style}} ("style"; "kind").
• In German, traditional filler words include {{lang|de|äh}} {{IPA|/ɛː/}}, {{lang|de|hm}}, {{lang|de|so}} {{IPA|/zoː/}}, {{lang|de|tja}}, {{lang|de|halt}}, and {{lang|de|eigentlich}} ("actually"). So-called modal particles share some of the features of filler words, but they actually modify the sentence meaning.
• In Greek, {{lang|el|ε}} ({{lang|el-Latn|e}}), {{lang|el|εμ}} ({{lang|el-Latn|em}}), {{lang|el|λοιπόν}} ({{lang|el-Latn|lipon}}, "so") and {{lang|el|καλά}} ({{lang|el-Latn|kala}}, "good") are common fillers.
• In Hebrew, {{Script/Hebrew|אֶה}} ({{lang|he-Latn|eh}}) is the most common filler. {{Script/Hebrew|אֶם}} ({{lang|he-Latn|em}}) is also quite common. Millennials and the younger Generation X speakers commonly use {{Script/Hebrew|כאילו}} ({{lang|he-Latn|ke'ilu}}, the Hebrew version of "like"). Additional filler words include {{Script/Hebrew|זתומרת}} ({{lang|he-Latn|zt'omeret}}, short for {{Script/Hebrew|זאת אומרת}} {{lang|he-Latn|zot omeret}} "that means"), {{Script/Hebrew|אז}} ({{lang|he-Latn|az}}, "so") and {{Script/Hebrew|בקיצור}} ({{lang|he-Latn|bekitsur}}, "in short"). Use of fillers of Arabic origin such as {{Script/Hebrew|יענו}} ({{lang|he-Latn|yaʿanu}}, a mispronunciation of the Arabic {{lang|ar|يعني}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|yaʿani}}) is also common.
• In Hindi, {{lang|hi|मतलब}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|matlab}}, "it means"), {{lang|hi|क्या कहते हैं}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|kya kehte hain}}, "what do you say"), {{lang|hi|वो ना}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|woh na}}, "that") and {{lang|hi|ऐसा है।}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|aisā hai}}, "what it is") are some word fillers. Sound fillers include {{lang|hi|हूँ}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|hoon}}, {{IPA|hns|ɦuːm̩|}}), अ (a, [ə]),{{lang|hi|आ}} ({{lang|hi-Latn|aa}}, {{IPA|hns|äː|}}).
• In Hungarian, filler sound is {{lang|hu|ő}}, common filler words include {{lang|hu|hát}}, {{lang|hu|nos}} (well...) and {{lang|hu|asszongya}} (a variant of {{lang|hu|azt mondja}}, which means "it says here..."). Among intellectuals, {{lang|hu|ha úgy tetszik}} (if you like) is used as filler.
• In Icelandic, a common filler is {{lang|is|hérna}} ("here"). {{lang|is|Þúst}}, a contraction of {{lang|is|þú veist}} ("you know"), is popular among younger speakers.
• In Indonesian, {{lang|id|anu}} and {{lang|id|apa sih}} are among the most common fillers.
• In Irish, {{lang|ga|abair}} {{IPA|/ˈabˠəɾʲ/}} ("say"), {{lang|ga|bhoil}} {{IPA|/wɛlʲ/}} ("well"), and {{lang|ga|era}} {{IPA|/ˈɛɾˠə/}} are common fillers, along with {{lang|en-IE|emm|italic=yes}} as in Hiberno-English.
• In Italian, common fillers include {{lang|it|ehm}} ("um", "uh"), {{lang|it|allora}} ("well then", "so"), {{lang|it|tipo}} ("like"), {{lang|it|ecco}} ("there"), {{lang|it|cioè}} ("actually", "that is to say", "rather"), and {{lang|it|be'}} ("well", "so"; most likely a shortening of {{lang|it|bene}} or {{lang|it|ebbene}}, which are themselves often used as filler words).
• In Japanese, common fillers include {{lang|ja|ええと}} ({{lang|ja-Latn|ēto}}, or "um"), {{lang|ja|あの}} ({{lang|ja-Latn|ano}}, literally "that over there", used as "um"), {{lang|ja|ま}} ({{lang|ja-Latn|ma}}, or "well"), {{lang|ja|そう}} ({{lang|ja-Latn|sō}}, used as "hmmm"), and {{lang|ja|ええ}} ({{lang|ja-Latn|ē}}, used as "huh" as a response of surprise or confusion).
• In Kannada, {{lang|kn-Latn|matte}} for "also", {{lang|kn-Latn|enappa andre}} for "the matter is" are common fillers.
• In Korean, {{lang|ko|응}} ({{lang|ko-Latn|eung}}), {{lang|ko|어}} ({{lang|ko-Latn|eo}}), {{lang|ko|그}} ({{lang|ko-Latn|geu}}), and {{lang|ko|음}} ({{lang|ko-Latn|eum}}) are commonly used as fillers.
• In Kurdish, {{lang|kmr|icar}} ("so, then") ({{lang|ckb-Arab|ئینجا}} ({{lang|ckb-Latn|inca}} in Sorani and Palewani, mostly pronounced as "ija"), as well as {{lang|kmr|baš e}} ("well") (or {{lang|sdh-Arab|خاس ە}} ({{lang|sdh-Latn|xas e}})) are common filler words. In Badinani, {{lang|kmr|mn got}} ("I said") and {{lang|kmr|ez d bêjm}} ("I say") (mostly shortened to "m'go'" and "e'd bê'm") are used similarly to "I mean". {{lang|kmr|ueki}} ("like, such as") ({{lang|ckb|وەکو}} ({{lang|ckb-Latn|ueku}}) in others) is used similarly to "like".
• In Kyrgyz, {{lang|ky-Cyrl|анан}} ({{lang|ky-Latn|anan}}, "then", "so"), {{lang|ky-Cyrl|баягы}} ({{lang|ky-Latn|bayağı}}, "that"), {{lang|ky-Cyrl|жанагы}} ({{lang|ky-Latn|janağı}}, "that"), {{lang|ky-Cyrl|ушуреки}} ({{lang|ky-Latn|uşureki}}, "this"), {{lang|ky-Cyrl|эме}} ({{lang|ky-Latn|eme}}, "um"), are common fillers.
• In Lithuanian, {{lang|lt|nu}}, {{lang|lt|am}}, {{lang|lt|žinai}} ("you know"), {{lang|lt|ta prasme}} ("meaning"), {{lang|lt|tipo}} ("like") are some of common fillers.
• In Malay, speakers often use words and phrases such as {{lang|ms|apa nama}} (literally, "what name") or {{lang|ms|itu}} ("that") as common fillers.
• In Malayalam, {{lang|ml|അതായതു}} ({{lang|ml-Latn|athayathu}}, "that means...") and {{lang|ml-Latn|ennu vechaal}} ("then...") are common.
• In Maltese and Maltese English, {{lang|mt|mela}} ("then"), or just {{lang|mt|la}}, is a common filler.
• In Mandarin Chinese, speakers often say {{linktext|那個}}; {{linktext|那个}} (pronounced nàge/nèige), meaning 'that'. Other common fillers are {{lang-zh|c=就|p=jiù|l=just|labels=no}} and {{lang-zh|c=好像|p=hǎoxiàng|l=as if/kind of like|labels=no}}.
• In Mongolian, {{lang|mn|одоо}} ({{lang|mn-Latn|odoo}}, "now") and {{lang|mn|нөгөө}} ({{lang|mn-Latn|nögöö}}, "that") are common fillers.
• In Nepali, {{lang|ne|माने}} ({{lang|ne-Latn|maane}}, "meaning"), {{lang|ne|चैने}} ({{lang|ne-Latn|chaine}}), {{lang|ne|चैं}} ({{lang|ne-Latn|chai}}), {{lang|ne|हैन}} ({{lang|ne-Latn|haina}}, "No?") are commonly used as fillers.
• In Norwegian, common fillers are {{lang|no|eh}}, {{lang|no|altso/altså}}, {{lang|no|på ein måte / på en måte}} ("in a way"), {{lang|no|berre/bare}} ("just") {{lang|no|ikkje sant / ikke sant}} (literally "not true?", meaning "don't you agree?", "right?", "no kidding" or "exactly")l, {{lang|no|vel}} ("well"), {{lang|no|liksom}} ("like") and {{lang|no|er det}} ("is it", "it is"). In Bergen, {{lang|no|sant}} ("true") is often used instead of {{lang|no|ikkje/ikke sant}}. In the region of {{lang|no|Trøndelag|italic=no}}, {{IPA|/ʃø/}}{{Cite web|title=X Trøndersk - NTNU|url=https://www.ntnu.edu/web/now2/9/9x|access-date=2020-08-26|website=www.ntnu.edu}} (comes from {{wikt-lang|no|skjønne|skjønner du}} which means "you see/understand)", "as you can see/understand") is also a common filler.
• In Persian, {{lang|fa|ببین}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|bebin}}, "look"), {{lang|fa|چیز}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|chiz}}, "thing"), and {{lang|fa|مثلا}} ({{lang|fa-Latn|masalan}}, "for instance") are commonly used filler words. As well as in Arabic and Urdu, {{lang|ar|يعني}} ({{lang|ar-Latn|yaʿni}}, "I mean") is also used in Persian. Also, {{lang|fa|اه}} {{lang|fa-Latn|eh}} is a common filler in Persian.
• In Portuguese, {{lang|pt|é}}, {{lang|pt|hum}}, {{lang|pt|então}} ("so"), {{lang|pt|tipo}} ("like") and {{lang|pt|bem}} ("well") are the most common fillers.
• In Polish, the most common filler sound is {{lang|pl|yyy}} {{IPA|/ɨ/}} and also {{lang|pl|eee}} {{IPA|/ɛ/}} (both like English um) and while common, its use is frowned upon. Other examples include, {{lang|pl|no}} {{IPA|/nɔ/}} (like English well), {{lang|pl|wiesz}} {{IPA|/vjeʂ/}} ("you know"). Among the younger generation new, often english-inspired, fillers are gaining popularity: generalnie/ogólnie ("generally"), jakby ("like"), w sensie ("in the sense that"), w sumie ("to sum it up").
• In Punjabi, {{lang|pa-Aran|مطلب}} ({{lang|pa|मतलब}}, {{lang|pa-Latn|mat̤lab}}, "it means") is a common filler.
• In Romanian, {{lang|ro|deci}} {{IPA|/detʃʲ/}} ("therefore") is common, especially in school, and {{lang|pl|ă}} {{IPA|/ə/}} is also very common (can be lengthened according to the pause in speech, rendered in writing as {{lang|pl|ăăă}}), whereas {{lang|pl|păi}} {{IPA|/pəj/}} is widely used by almost anyone. A modern filler has gained popularity among the youths – gen {{IPA|/dʒɛn/}}, analogous to the English "like", literally translated as "type".
• In Russian, fillers are called {{lang|ru|слова-паразиты}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|slova-parazity}}, "parasite words"); the most common are {{lang|ru|э-э}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|è-è}}, "eh"), {{lang|ru|вот}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|vot}}, "here it is"), {{lang|ru|это}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|èto}}, "this"), {{lang|ru|того}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|togo}}, "that kind, sort of"), {{lang|ru|(ну) такое}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|(nu) takoye}}, "some kind [of this]"), {{lang|ru|ну}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|nu}}, "well, so"), {{lang|ru|значит}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|značit}}, "I mean, kind of, like"), {{lang|ru|так}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|tak}}, "so"), {{lang|ru|как его}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|kak ego}}, "what's it [called]"), {{lang|ru|типа}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|tipa}}, "kinda"), {{lang|ru|как бы}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|kak by}}, "[just] like, sort of"), and {{lang|ru|понимаешь?}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|ponimayesh}}, "understand?, you know, you see").
• In Serbian, {{lang|sr-Cyrl|значи}} ({{lang|sr-Latn|znači}}, "means"), па (pa, "so"), мислим (mislim, "i think") and {{lang|sr-Cyrl|овај}} ({{lang|sr-Latn|ovaj}}, "this") are common fillers.
• In Slovak, {{lang|sk|oné}} ("that"), {{lang|sk|tento}} ("this"), {{lang|sk|proste}} ("simply"), or {{lang|sk|akože}} ("it's like...") are used as fillers. The Hungarian {{lang|hu|izé}} (or {{lang|sk|izí}} in its Slovak pronunciation) can also be heard, especially in parts of the country with a large Hungarian population. {{lang|sk|Ta}} is a filler typical of Eastern Slovak and one of the most parodied features.
• In Slovene, {{lang|sl|pač}} ("indeed", "just", "merely"), {{lang|sl|a ne?}} ("right?"), {{lang|sl|no}} ("well"), v bistvu ("in fact"), and pravzaprav ("actually") are some of the most common fillers.
• In Spanish, fillers are called {{lang|es|muletillas}}. Some of the most common in American Spanish are {{lang|es-419|e}}, {{lang|es-419|em}}, {{lang|es-419|este}} (roughly equivalent to uhm, literally means "this"), and {{lang|es-419|o sea}} (roughly equivalent to "I mean", literally means "or be it").{{cite web |last=Erichsen |first=Gerald |url=http://spanish.about.com/od/spanishvocabulary/a/filler_words.htm |title=Filler Words and Vocal Pauses |publisher=Spanish.about.com |access-date=2019-04-08 |archive-date=2016-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008023827/http://spanish.about.com/od/spanishvocabulary/a/filler_words.htm }} In Spain the previous fillers are also used, but {{lang|es-ES|¿Vale?}} ("right?") and {{lang|es-ES|¿no?}} are very common too and {{lang|es-ES|pues}} ("well") is also used. Younger speakers there often use {{lang|es-ES|en plan}} (meaning "as", "like" or "in [noun] mode"{{clarify|reason=What does "in [noun] mode" mean??|date=March 2025}}). The Argentine filler word che became the nickname of rebel Ernesto "Che" Guevara, by virtue of his frequent use of it. Other possible filled pauses in Spanish are: a, am, bueno, como, and others.{{Cite journal|last1=Erker|first1=Daniel|last2=Bruso|first2=Joanna|date=2017-07-25|title=Uh, bueno, em …: Filled pauses as a site of contact-induced change in Boston Spanish|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-variation-and-change/article/abs/uh-bueno-em-filled-pauses-as-a-site-of-contactinduced-change-in-boston-spanish/2C437B2CBB71B9F1E5AE6613E73478BE|journal=Language Variation and Change|language=en|volume=29|issue=2|pages=205–244|doi=10.1017/S0954394517000102|s2cid=148769172 |issn=0954-3945}}
• In Swedish, fillers are called {{lang|sv|utfyllnadsord}}; some of the most common are {{lang|sv|öhm}} or {{lang|sv|öh}}, {{lang|sv|ja}} ("yes"), {{lang|sv|ehm}} or {{lang|sv|eh}} (for example {{lang|sv|eh jag vet inte}}) or {{lang|sv|ba}} (comes from {{lang|sv|bara}}, which means "only"), {{lang|sv|asså}} or {{lang|sv|alltså}} ("therefore", "thus"), {{lang|sv|va}} (comes from {{lang|sv|vad}}, which means "what"), and {{lang|sv|liksom}} and {{lang|sv|typ}} (both similar to the English "like").
• In Tamil, {{lang|ta-Latn|paatheenga-na}} ("if you see...") and {{lang|ta-Latn|apparam}} ("then...") are common.
• In Telugu, {{lang|te|ఇక్కడ ఏంటంటే}} ({{lang|te-Latn|ikkada entante}}, "what's here is...") and {{lang|te|తర్వాత}} ({{lang|te-Latn|tarwatha}}, "then...") are common and there are numerous like this.
• In Turkish, {{lang|tr|yani}} ("meaning..."), {{lang|tr|şey}} ("thing"), {{lang|tr|işte}} ("that is"), and {{lang|tr|falan}} ("as such", "so on") are common fillers.
• In Ukrainian, {{lang|uk|е}} ({{lang|uk-Latn|e}}, similar to "um"), {{lang|uk|ну}} ({{lang|uk-Latn|nu}}, "well"), {{lang|uk|і}} ({{lang|uk-Latn|i}}, "and"), {{lang|uk|цей}} ({{lang|uk-Latn|tsey}}, "this"), {{lang|uk|той-во}} ({{lang|uk-Latn|toy-vo}}, "this one") are common fillers.
• In Urdu, {{lang|ur|یعنی}} ({{lang|ur-Latn|yani}}, "meaning..."), {{lang|ur|فلانا فلانا}} ({{lang|ur-Latn|flana flana}}, "this and that" or "blah blah"), {{lang|ur|ہاں ہاں}} ({{lang|ur-Latn|haan haan}}, "yeah yeah") and {{lang|ur|اچھا}} ({{lang|ur-Latn|acha}}, "ok") are also common fillers.
• In Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt), "ơ" or "à" (surprise); "ý là" (I mean); ...
• In Welsh (Cymraeg), {{lang|cy|'dê}} or {{lang|cy|yndê}}, from {{lang|cy|onid e}} – 'Is it not so?' – is used as a filler, and in a similar way, especially in southern dialects {{lang|cy|t'mod}} and {{lang|cy|ch'mod}} (abbreviations of {{lang|cy|rwyt ti'n gwybod}} and {{lang|cy|rydych chi'n gwybod}} – the singular and plural/respectful forms of 'you know') along with {{lang|cy|t'wel(d)}} and {{lang|cy|ch'wel(d)}} (abbreviations of {{lang|cy|rwyt ti'n gweld}} and {{lang|cy|rydych chi'n gweld}} – 'you see'); {{lang|cy|'lly}} (from {{lang|cy|felly}} – 'so/such/like/in that way', used in northern dialects); {{lang|cy|iawn}} ('alright/right') is used as a filler at the beginning, middle or end of sentences; {{langx|cy|o'r gorau|lit=of the best}} – used loosely to mean 'alright'; {{lang|cy|'na ni}}, an abbreviation of {{lang|cy|dyna ni}} – 'there we are'; {{lang|cy|ym…}} and {{lang|cy|y…}} are used similarly to the English 'um…' and 'uh…'.

{{Main article|Wh-movement}}

The linguistic term "filler" has another, unrelated use in syntactic terminology. It refers to the pre-posed element that fills in the "gap" in a wh-movement construction. Wh-movement is said to create a long-distance or unbounded "filler-gap dependency". In the following example, there is an object gap associated with the transitive verb saw, and the filler is the wh-phrase how many angels: "I don't care [how many angels] she told you she saw."

• Aizuchi
• Interjection
• Like: as a discourse particle
• Phatic expression
• So (word)
• Speech disfluency

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg14619767-500-oooer/ Why do people say "um" and "er" when hesitating in their speech?], New Scientist, May 6, 1995 {{subscription required}}
• {{cite journal

| first =Eils

| last =Lotozo

| date =September 4, 2002

| title =The way teens talk, like, serves a purpose

| journal =Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

| url =http://www2.jsonline.com/enter/gen/sep02/71334.asp

| access-date =December 11, 2008

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081213205331/http://www2.jsonline.com/enter/gen/sep02/71334.asp

| archive-date =December 13, 2008

| df =mdy-all

}} Citing {{cite journal

|first = Muffy E. A.

|last = Siegel

|year = 2002

|title = Like: The Discourse Particle and Semantics

|journal = Journal of Semantics

|volume = 19

|issue = 1

|pages = 35–71

|doi = 10.1093/jos/19.1.35

}}

• [http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/n.amiridze/index.htm Nino Amiridze], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120428201115/http://english.uncc.edu/Professorial-Faculty/boyd-h-davis.html Boyd H. Davis], and [http://www.cmds.canterbury.ac.nz/people/maclagan.shtml Margaret Maclagan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406125057/http://www.cmds.canterbury.ac.nz/people/maclagan.shtml |date=2017-04-06 }}, editors. [http://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/tsl.93 Fillers, Pauses and Placeholders]. Typological Studies in Language 93, John Benjamins, Amsterdam/Philadelphia, 2010. [https://dx.doi.org/10.1075/sl.35.4.08stv Review]

Category:Linguistics

Category:Human communication