The words we never think about reveal a lot about what we’re saying. Filler words—this, though, I, an, and, that, and there—are so common we never really think about them, but they give away a lot of information. Psychologist James Pennebaker has been using computers to analyze patterns, and the results show that people change these minor words subconsciously depending who they are speaking with:
We use “I” more when we talk to someone with power because we’re more self-conscious. We are focused on ourselves—how we’re coming across—and our language reflects that.
