Expletive (linguistics)

An expletive is a word or phrase inserted into a sentence that is not needed to express the basic meaning of the sentence. It is regarded as semantically null or a placeholder. Expletives are not insignificant or meaningless in all senses; they may be used to give emphasis or tone, to contribute to the meter in verse, or to indicate tense.
The word "expletive" derives from the Latin word expletivus: serving to fill out or take up space. 
In these examples in fact and indeed are expletives:

<ul><li>The teacher was not, in fact, present.</li></ul>
<ul><li>Indeed, the teacher was absent.</li></ul>
In conversation the expressions like and you know, when they are not meaningful, are expletives. The word so, used as an introductory particle (especially when used in answer to a question), has become a common modern expletive. Oaths or profanities may be expletives, as occurs in <a href="/facts/William_Shakespeare/ohI96JTv">Shakespeare</a>:

"Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio."
Hamlet, act 1, scene 5, line 134<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a>
"Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if the devil bid you."
Othello, act 1, scene 1, line 109<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a>

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Expletive (linguistics)