So

[Gilliver's Travels]

To begin responding to every question with 'So..." sounds especially bad-mannered because it suggests a speaker wishing only to continue his own line of of thought, regardless of the other person's actual question, or even viewpoint. 'As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted...'

On the other hand, beginning an answer with 'Well...' somehow suggests that the question has at least been acknowledged and, quite possibly, carefully considered. But it's only custom and practice: why did we choose 'well' in the first place? The word has a totally different meaning in any other context.

But those Americanisms infuriate because the language interchange is only ever one-way. They expect to export their own linguistic quirks, but take in nothing at all from the outside world. The result? Bombarded by American TV programmes (soon to be 'programs'?) impressionable young Brits dumbly accept and adopt US Newspeak. So shops are increasingly 'on' Western Road when they used to be 'in' it. Young people evidently wish to leap the Starbucks counter : 'Can I get a latte?' A Driving Licence seems to have become a Driver's License.

But languages have always evolved. And there's nothing we can do about it. Er, Period.

 

[Eeyore]

So what ?

 

[Earlybird]

'Go ahead' was used within my earshot on Wednesday as in " OK, I'm going to go ahead and order a pear cider" by a yank to a waiter in a restaurant.
“A pear cider please” would have worked just as well if not better.

Also, politicians using the words “The important thing to remember is.....” as in, the rest of this interview is worthless..

 

[Icy Gull]

My current dislike is " I am reaching out to "....." GRRRRR

 

[Garage_Doors]

So what ?

Great song that.
Even mentions Brighton.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

I agree with what people have said in this thread, especially with regard to the use of “I am stood”/”I am sat” and “Can I get?”.

“Still to come” and “next up” are phrases that I find irksome. My blood boils when I hear “impact” and “transition” used as verbs.

Increasingly, people in my office are using the phrase “ahead of the curve”. I leave the room, in protest, whenever I hear the phrase.

 

[Wellesley]

It has been driving ****ing mad for months! When I have mentioned it, nobody seemed to have noticed it. Thanks for this thread, it's nice to know someone else is sharing my pain.

 

[dazzer6666]

Most of the above wind me up too. I'm particularly irritated by 'like' for some reason but most of all 'we'll take this offline' as soon as anything remotely contentious comes up in a meeting. No you fvckwit, the meeting is being held to DEAL WITH the contentious issues.

 

[dazzer6666]

Oh, and 'can I get'. Grrrrrr.

 

[BN9 BHA]

What annoys me more is people who use the word "like" about ten times a sentence.
It makes like, no like, sense to me.

Agree with you here.

A teenage girls favourite word, if they didn't keep saying ' like' they would hardly talk.
Oh my god every 5 seconds is another annoying one.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Great song that.
Even mentions Brighton.

I've been here and I've been there and ive been every ..........where, so what, so what.

I would get banned for quoting all the lyrics

 

[AmexRuislip]

Is it just me or is anybody else getting annoyed by increasing numbers of people who start every sentence or answer to a question with an irrelevant 'So...'....?

 

[GT49er]

The one which annoys me most at the moment is when footballers, managers and pundits insert the words 'football club' after every mention of the team's name. Yes, we know you're talking about the football club and not the ****ing bus station, or the pier, or the library or whatever. Just don't keep telling us!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

So! Yes, yes I am.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I've been here and I've been there and ive been every ..........where, so what, so what.

I would get banned for quoting all the lyrics

Playing down the Haunt next week

 

[atfc village]

The current England skipper Mr Cook winds me up with his interviews littered with um and er and this is an educated bloke.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Playing down the Haunt next week

I saw them at the Top Rank about 35 years ago, can't remember who they were supporting though, could have been The Damned.
I feel old

 

[Megazone]

Why do people get annoyed by such small, little things?

So?

 

[Change at Barnham]

Y'know

No I don't!

 

[beardy gull]

Is it just me or is anybody else getting annoyed by increasing numbers of people who start every sentence or answer to a question with an irrelevant 'So...'....?

It's been winding me up for at least the last 6 months. Mentioned it to the other half who hadn't noticed but is now getting wound up aswell. So, what can be done about it?