What's up with "The Tick"?

by Diogenes
(New Orleans)

Hi,

I have a question about "The Tick" as I call it. It's a noise that some people make before starting a sentence. Sometimes it happens when someone is rebounding from a swallow just before they have to speak. Other times some people just make the noise before they begin a sentence.

I may or may not have a mild case of misophonia, I can't say for sure, but it drives me batty! But what I would like to know is, why do people do this? What does it mean? Where did this nasty little habit come from? Is there a proper name for it?

Any ideas?

Thanks!!

-Diogenes