Comments on: So irritating

By: vtcat

vtcat — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:55:59 +0000

Lately, I have heard many a learned interviewee answer a query by starting with the word “so”. ex: “Where did you hear that?”. Ans. “So, I was at the barbershop”.
Is this a regional colloquiallism?

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:42:52 +0000

This usage of “so” may be connected with a style of speech from across the Atlantic, used mainly by people in their teens and twenties. I have friends in Canada & the USA and during webchats they often use “so” at the beginning of a sentence to indicate a piece of news or to start a topic – for example, “So my new computer arrived today” or “So my sister is moving back home”. I’ve also seen “so” used in this way in messageboard posts, again mostly by younger forum users.

By: David Curtis

David Curtis — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:51:26 +0000

In further consideration of the use of the word “so” and its possible origins, I have concluded that it may be connected to the availability of foreign travel, especially to Germany and associated countries.

I visit Austria for instance and I enjoy the experience of meeting people there. Often the German speakers will start a sentence with a phrase that sounds like “Ah so” using a z instead of an s but you get the picture.

It is easy to get into the way of imitating such a phrase and it is so like the English “so” that it may have caught on from there. That is my thought on the origin for what it is worth.

So what do you think
(summing up and moving on)

By: David Curtis

David Curtis — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:01:15 +0000

Responding to your direct question about “so”, I believe that the use has grown from a need to abbreviate.

A discussion may have taken place before the use of “so” and the use of the word sums up all the previous talk and is a means of moving on to the next part. It is not necessarily a correct use of the word but it is a friendly word which is often inclusive to those present.

It can be used in conjunction with other words in this context as a starting point in a conversation – “So, how can I help?”

There are all sorts of changes in the use of language. Many changes start with one person using a phrase, especially in a National arena and others thinking that it sounded good. We all learn from copying others.

By: David Curtis

David Curtis — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:50:58 +0000

Yes I have noticed that but even more irritating than that I have just been watching Hazel Blears on television exhibiting the Labour trademark.

“Now look” is a phrase which is used across the ministerial brigade.

It is not confined to Labour but was started by Tony Blair and has become ever more used by the Labour aristocracy to tell people what is good for them, what Labour have done for them and what Labour is about to do for them.

It is irritating and hectoring and I advise that anyone thinking of challenging for Government steer clear of the phrase. It puts me off straight away because it assumes that I don’t know and that I will now be taught.

Otherwise, have a nice day.