Basically, What?

Have you noticed the number of people prefacing their statements with the word “basically?” Just what do they mean when they say “basically?” Basically, what? Such as, “Basically, we are having a meeting in the morning to discuss blah, blah, blah.” Are we having a meeting? Yes or no? Basically has nothing to do with it. It adds no value to the statement whatsoever. According to the dictionary on my word processor, the word “basically” means “when you come right down to it.” Well, when you come right down to it, I’m basically fed up with the abuse of the word “basically.” Do we use it because it contains four syllables and might make one sound articulate? Basically, yes.