Basically

Why do some engineers always utter the word basically in their speeches, writings, casual conversations, or to put it bluntly, in their everyday language?
I just came off from a 2-hour boring lecture and one of the speakers persistently caught my attention. After dismissing a handful 18 slides of their projectorized powerpoint presentation, he spoked mildly and mouthed the word 24 times in his entire spiel. [I have actually recorded that in my noteback like I was a scorer in an olympic volleyball game hehehe]
In a mathematical point of view, he averaged a 133% usage of basically. That means, it's certain that he will speak the word 1.33 times per slide.
When I first went in The Library in Malate, together with a group of old friends, [that was 4 years ago I think] the stand up gay comedians festered on a poor guy in the audience who branded himself as an engineer when he was asked. They shot the same question on why do engineers say basically before expressing what they really mean. They added the words generally and other -ally technical gibberish that seems very funny and completely unnecessary.
My observation is further affirmed by my boss who never fails to give me amusement whenever I hear him speak.
So why do engineers always utter the word basically? Maybe that is the basic question, basically...