Why Everyone Is Saying "I Mean" More Than Ever

Perhaps it is not surprising that inviting people to reconsider the merits of disliked speech features generates a bit of controversy. After all, we are nothing if not wedded to our firm beliefs about linguistic correctness.

Yet, as a linguist who studies the history and evolution of speech habits, even I was surprised at the number of people who get riled up by what appears to be a recent uptick in the use of the phrase “I mean” to start off sentences. I mean, one would think it was linguistic Armageddon, given the irritation it provokes.

What is “I mean”?

“I mean” is part of a larger class of words and phrases in English that linguists refer to as discourse markers. Discourse markers are words or short phrases that don’t contribute directly—in a semantic sense—to the meaning of a sentence, but instead contribute pragmatic or attitudinal information. In other words, you could remove them without a big impact on the literal meaning of the phrase.

So, I can say, “I got a new job,” or I can say, “Oh, I got a new job,” and both sentences convey the same literal (or referential) meaning that the speaker is now employed somewhere. However, the discourse marker “Oh” adds a pragmatic nuance—that this is new information and requires a shift in topic and/or awareness (e.g., something the speaker just remembered).

Discourse markers serve diverse conversational functions, but all serve a communicatively important role, particularly in spoken conversation. This generally involves conveying information about how speaking turns cohere or relate to each other (now, so, then), present a speaker’s stance or attitude (well, I mean, oh), or invite listener inference (you know).

For instance, saying “well” at the beginning of one’s speaking turn generally flags that what is about to follow is contrary to what might be a preferred response to something just said. As a result, when your boss asks whether your weekly sales report is ready, you might begin with, “Well, I had to wait for John in accounting to get me the numbers” before admitting the report was not quite ready for prime time. In short, it conveys a speaker is going to say something that they recognize as slightly disagreeable in the conversational context, followed by some sort of explanatory information.

So, I mean…

The discourse marker "I mean" functions somewhat similarly in that it tends to be used to correct or further explain a previous statement (e.g., "I mean, it’s not that I don’t like eggplant, just not my favorite"). In this way, using "I mean" can function as a repair or a linguistic politeness strategy aimed at keeping the relationship among conversationalists harmonious. This is the more traditional and accepted use of the phrase.

The recent uptick in use that gets some people’s goat seems to be related to the use of “I mean” not to clarify, but instead to signal that a speaker is intensifying/justifying something, marking a point as obvious, or making clear a stance or attitude. This type of “I mean” occurs, for instance, when, following your expressing dismay, a friend justifies driving the extra 15 miles out of the way to a specific coffee shop because, “I mean, they simply have the best coffee.”

This use is also where “I mean” sometimes can take on more of a derisive tone, as in “I mean, like, they know anything about raising kids.” This type of “I mean” also invites some buy-in or alignment from listeners, as it is meant to elicit solidarity around a particular belief or position.

This attitude-giving “I mean” has been termed by some as “sassy I mean,” though it can be used in either a sassy-snarky or sassy-playful way, i.e., “I mean, it is your birthday!” This playfulness is most obvious when “I mean” is left dangling, like when someone asks if you want a chocolate brownie, and you respond simply, “I mean….” to indicate, duh, obviously, yes.

Crucially, much of what is required for its proper interpretation is something previously mentioned in the conversation or some shared common knowledge, like that they said or did something making their kid-raising abilities relevant or that you always love dessert. If we’ve never met before, I can’t just walk up to you and say, “I mean...” and think you’ll understand where I am coming from.

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How “I mean” became the new thing

Are we right about “I mean” now seemingly being everywhere? Though it doesn’t differentiate among “I mean” used as a main subject and verb vs. a discourse marker, Google N-gram shows a big increase in the use of the phrase “I mean” starting around the early 2000s in comparing its written occurrences over the past two centuries. This certainly suggests that something new is afoot.

This uptick, showing up even in writing, is likely the result of two things: First, a shift in the sense of “I mean” to include this newer attitudinal one and, second, the new-to-this-century growth of social media where catchy expressions spread like wildfire if they capture some cultural zeitgeist. “I mean,” especially in its snarkier form, was tailor-made for the type of short, zingy tweets and comments that build on a post or news bite and invite others to hop onto the attitude or sass train.

In particular, with our new hybrid style of online communication—more like conversation but via writing—we need ways to signal how we want others to interpret what we say. “I mean” before a comment helps make sure readers understand how it was intended—giving off the vibe of sarcasm, snark, or a shared stance. This also explains the standalone posts that read simply, “I mean, I mean, I MEAN!”

So, whether you are a fan or not, chances are this discourse marker has already come to be part of your daily life and, while it may feel overused, it is definitely useful. I mean, why not just go ahead and get on the bandwagon? #Imean

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