Why Americans throw 'like' in the middle of sentences

Have you ever, like, wondered why people, like, talk like this? The word 'like' and its wide prevalence in modern American speech has baffled linguists and frustrated listeners worldwide. But what started this annoying trend might have actually been a mistake. All it needed was one song parodying the girls from San Fernando Valley, California in the 70's that made it one of the most widely abused words in the English language.