этот самый...

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

Along the same lines as my last post about "собственно" as a filler phrase or "slovo-parazit", where does this new fashion for "этот самый" come from? It is used when someone is trying to think of the name of something and makes a pause. I've noticed also it tends to be used among cultured circles, as if it's the intelligentsia's version of "типо" or "как бы"... Just curious if anyone has any thoughts about this latest phenomenon (how it works etymologically, why it came about, who uses it and when, etc.). Thanks!