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Is "So" The New "Well"?







Gullflyinghigh

Registered User
Apr 23, 2012
4,279
It's not just the answer to questions, I've a gent who sits near me at work (henceforth referred to as GHI - 'Greasy Hitler Impersonator') and every bloody sentence starts with it.

It doesn't matter whether he's answering a question, asking something or just generally chatting, the GHI can't help itself.

Even worse, the length of it tends to change depending on how much he has to think about his words. Quite often you'll get a mammoth 'sooooo' whilst he's ruminating.
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,850
Brighton
I wouldn't say it was the new well, since it is something that has been happening for a while now. I'm pretty sure you can dig out some of the old "things that annoy you" threads that have been on here and the overuse of 'So...' at the start of sentences will be in there.

I say it, probably a lot. I try not to, because when I was at uni one of the guys there would start almost every sentence with "so..." but would also pause, giving me the chance to jump in with "a needle pulling thread", which seemed to be an effective way of stopping him doing it so much.
 








easynow

New member
Mar 17, 2013
2,039
jakarta
It's just another processing sound. When you're communicating via radio with many people on the same channel you will often here 'errhhh and errrhh this' etc it's just way of indicating you have more to input to whatever you're saying.

So...OP...errrrrr...what you wearing?
 








melias shoes

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2010
4,830
Is "like" the new "erm"?

Don't get me started. I actually told a group of girls to stop saying bloody 'Like' last week. Another is when they ask for something they say ' Can I get '. No you cannot Get it. You may 'Have it'.:rant:
 








Worthingite

Sexy Pete... :D
Sep 16, 2011
4,959
Worthing
All through the ashes, me and a friend of mine put a pound into a jar every time an Australian player started an answer to a question with "Look". Paid for a nice takeaway with sides and a couple of beers each at the end of the series
 


Super Steve Earle

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
8,347
North of Brighton
Pleased to confirm I can't recall anyone starting a sentence with the word 'So' in my world. Hopefully it's dying out already!
 


The Oldman

I like the Hat
NSC Patron
Jul 12, 2003
7,104
In the shadow of Seaford Head
I had not noticed So being used to start a sentence but as others have mentioned the Aussie Look annoys me intensely with Andrew Strauss being one of the worst offenders. Rant over. I feel better already.
 




Gilliver's Travels

Peripatetic
Jul 5, 2003
2,916
Brighton Marina Village
'So' is certainly annoying, since it suggests the speaker hasn't been listening at all and is merely interrupting to continue from where he left off.

But that's not nearly as annoying as uptalk? Where any sentence uttered is instantly turned into... a question? Has the speaker suddenly become somehow unsure of, for example, his own name or address, and now seeking your reassurance?

And since when did 'I said' get supplanted in any conversation involving under-25s by 'I was like' ?

So.... I was like...know what I mean? All totally horrendous.

[ We do, of course, all accept that English is indeed a living language. It's just that we hate being forced to see the changes happening before our disbelieving and disapproving eyes.]
 
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Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
49,868
Faversham
Don't get me started. I actually told a group of girls to stop saying bloody 'Like' last week. Another is when they ask for something they say ' Can I get '. No you cannot Get it. You may 'Have it'.:rant:

'Can I get' is a North Americanism. When I lived in Canada it was standard. Because of that it doesn't offend my ears. People are just aping what's on the telly.

So . . . . . its 'like' that does it for me. One of my ex-students used it all the time, and pronounced it 'laaaahk'. It has now become part of my work lexicon now, as shorthand for soft headed students, and general thickiness. Innit.
 


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