You heard me, right? Ending a statement with the word RIGHT has become the accepted method of asking a question — or making sure the person actually hears you. And once you hear it, it will drive you as crazy as when someone uses YOU KNOW.
I first noticed this annoying practice during the presidential election, when panelist, commentators and pundits used the work RIGHT as an audible question mark. First on talk radio but it quickly infiltrated televised talk programs.
It often occurs when the interviewer is asking ineffective questions and requires validation — “you know what I mean, right?” It leads me to wonder whether this person was sure about what he or she was saying in the first place. It has become a device to get someone to agree — whether they do or don’t. More than a bad habit, it’s a validation tool, making what they’ve said sound like a question, even when it’s not.
So that’s it, my latest pet peeve. Next time, I’ll spout about how the word “extraordinary” irritates me. At the end of the day, who wants to be considered more ordinary, RIGHT?
