When, why, how did the word “like” become inserted so frequently into the spoken English language?

Question

When, why, how did the word “like” become inserted so frequently into the spoken English language?

In: Other

Answer 1

I read somewhere that it stems from “likely” as in, “He was likely embarrassed”. It seems plausible and helps me forgive it when my teenage daughters and their friends are like, using it all the time.