An Analysis of Speech Fillers Used by Biden

The study aims to identify the speech fillers and their functions in one of Joe Biden’s political interviews. To achieve this, data were obtained from YouTube videos and subsequently analyzed and classified based on Stenstrom’s (1994) classification of speech fillers. A qualitative analysis was conducted to examine the functions of speech fillers, while a quantitative analysis was applied to calculate the percentages of their classification. Major findings reveal that Biden utilizes all the types and functions of speech fillers according to the adopted model. The types are: pauses and lexical speech fillers. In addition, the functions are breathing, hesitation mark, filling pause, starter, empathizing, shift marker, editing term, mitigating, holding the turn, time creating device, and sequencer. Biden uses them at different rates. Therefore, in accordance with the findings, the researchers conclude that speech fillers are not usually viewed as a distractions of speaking. As learners of foreign language, we should understand that filler words are not necessarily seen as a distort in speech but also as a way to enhance our interaction and as part of the natural flow of discourse.