Word of the Day: verbigeration

verbigeration (n)

Compulsive repetition of meaningless or stereotyped words and phrases.

"The grin held. O'Kane was grinning now -- and so was Mart. All four of them were stretching their facial muscles to the limit, goodwill abounding, and you would have thought they'd just heard the best joke in the world. 'What is this place?' Mr. McCormick asked then, and no trace of hesitation in his voice, no stuttering or verbigeration at all."
--T. Coraghessan Boyle, Riven Rock

When extreme, verbigeration is a sign of mental illness. But it's fairly common, and vexatious, in my experience. I know persons, who shall be nameless, who persistently repeat the following:

"Pretty much"
"And your point is?"
"The good news is..."
"What's interesting is..."
"Okay...okay...okay..."
"Oh my God..."
"No problem"

I don't think I'm implicated in this habitual verbal prattle, but I definitely repeat certain phrases internally as I go about my quotidian doings. I won't list them here, for fear they will lose their efficacy. These are just mental placeholders, little catchphrases that blot out disturbing or pestiferous cogitations. Sort of like "every good boy does fine", though they're a lot quirkier than that.