What is with the word "like"? It's used all the time now. Why?
550643
The evolution of "like" from a simple preposition into an emphatic particle in Modern English is just part of the natural evolution of language.  Every language changes with each new generation of speakers.  Old structures fall by the wayside and new structures take their place.  It's been going on for 100,000 years at least.  It's just part of the process.  "Like" has evolved into three distinct things:  First, the verb "like" as in "I like steak".  Second, the preposition as in "The second day was like the first day".  And the newest manifestation, the emphatic particle as in "I thought, like, he is so cute".  Where the evolution goes from here is anyone's guess.  Emphatic particles often evolve into either nominative or accusative case endings, but the position of "like" will have to become fixed first.
870768
It is Just a phrase we use when we are happy, kind a like COOL!, we use that to say pretty cool. Did you like the movie I love it. If you did email me and let me know at meeradw@yahoo.com
325100
I use the word "I" too much because I am me.  So how can I not use it so much.  Because I like myself.  So which you can see, I use it a lot.
102633
Like is different than love. I wish I could be more postive but since you gave very little details not much to go on.\n\nK
413505
Words with "TH" like: with, the, there, this, another. It's horrible when the "TH" appears in middle of the word like: something, everything and etc.
572277
What I love most about Germany is its people and its very strong ethical standards in every walk of life. I can't 'hate' any country if I don't find a big Mac or Coke tin rolled out to me through the vending machines. I love my way of life, that wouldn't make me think otherwise of another. Not a bad idea if we stop hating in bulk:) Can we use 'dislike' or 'not to my own satisfaction' instead. Just thinking.
837731
It's actually quoted as an example even in the Oxford Dictionary. They say it's spoken English and used instead of "why". I agree with those who think it's not excellent English, but you know, use sometimes is sovereign and creates rules of its own!
440785
Use "LIKE" for nouns (persons, places, things) and "ENJOY" for verbs (action words)
235429
The word "like--"Like that's like so like sexy, like LoL like yeah"; it's friken annoying!
838965
The individuals that use such words feel that this is the only way they can get people to understand them.  Many use it as a way of letting off steam, but all it does is give an adverse opinion of the user and sums up their capacity to communicate.  As far as their meanings, there are many but you can bet that those making use of said words do not know their exact meaning but just their twisted definition.
148966
It depends on context.\nGeneral or prevalent usage does not necesarily legitimise bad English. \n\nIncidentally your answer to another question where you have suggested that 'like' is a substitute for different forms of the verb 'say' is totally erroneous. The 'sentence' the questioner has asked about is so magnificently ill-structured that it takes time to comprehend and with no context in which to place it (no textual commentary and it is not part of a larger scripted dialogue or transcript of a conversation) we must take it at its 'effective' face-value.\n\n"Like" is here the equivalent of the equally vague "sort of" or "kind of" and is meaningful only in the generally and necessarily vague (or arguably 'free') state of the informal language coding of the rest of the 'sentence'.\n\nBut this then brings us to clasification and despite all arguments to the contrary we are stuck with the 'like' in question (no pun intended) falling into the category of the adjectival.\n\nI suppose, at the end of the day, it may depend on quite what one means by semantics...  but that day has not yet begun and the end is faraway...\n\nThanks for inspiring me to spout.\n\n:)
683436
I think that somebody started saying it that way and it caught on.  I agree with you that it seems arbitrary.  It might also be that this changes over time.  Maybe a couple of decades from now, people will be saying "twenty o six".
669223
it means... Anytime! It's a slang used in online chat or text messaging
743604
Laughing my a** off. Here are more abreviations for commonly used words in chat rooms:\nhttp://aimlingo.aimawaymessages.com/
558462
Good Heavens ! Didn't you know that is very common even today, among most English speakers ?\nIn mod e-conversations and communications, where condensed words are in vogue, there are still several who suddenly type 'GH!' !
83248
"It is everything I like" is probably a better fit than translations that use the word "all" which can have a subtly different meaning in English.\n\n(from a Canadian who grew up in a French-speaking town.)
747615
Which word do you mean?\nDecent\nDescent\nDissent\nOr... Did you accidentally type an n instead of an r? Then the whole word changes.\nWhich do you mean?\nGive us a definition, please.