>It's getting like they can't do that in the UK without "yeah", used as a meaningless interjection, in the same way. My daughter's the same, and here's the cure:
>
>Daughter: "There's this kid, yeah?"
>Me: "What's a kidyer?"
>Daughter: "No. There's this kid, yeah?"
>Me: "What's a kidyer?"
>
>... the tale never gets any further than that till she stops saying "yeah" in every clause.

My mother-in-law tells a story about trying to answer a question in school:

MIL: I don't think they ...
Teacher: If you don't think, don't talk.
(repeat for several cycles)

Tamar