So...

[brewerpaul]

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that an increasing number of people are beginning spoken sentences with the word "so".
It doesn't seem to serve any grammatical purpose most of the time.
"So,I'm going to lunch"
"So, what time is it?"
"So,it's raining"
So, does anyone else find this annoying?

[mutepointe]

I really don't listen to what other people say. It's all about me.

I would shout Hallelujah! if all the "But, um.." people in my life switched to "So.." For some reason that I don't quite understand, I always visualize a drummer hitting two beats when they say, "But, um..".

[Nanohedron]

So, does anyone else find this annoying?

So I guess you do fer sure.

[Doug_Tipple]

I think that using "so" as a preface to a sentence comes from an inner need to say, "I'm beginning now", which may well come from a deep-seated sense of insecurity. Who doesn't feel insecure these days with the run-away gas prices and the hard-hearts in Congress talking about doing away with the limited safety net that we currently have. I am feeling a sense of insecurity from all of this heartless talk, as well. So, rather than being annoyed by this seemingly unnecessary preface to many sentences, I am sympathetic. So, do you agree, or not?

[dwest]

I think that using "so" as a preface to a sentence comes from an inner need to say, "I'm beginning now", which may well come from a deep-seated sense of insecurity.

It comes from mid-west politeness also the reason we end all sentences with a question? So, I'm leaving now?

[MTGuru]

It's just you, Paul. You see, it's a continuation of your friends' inner dialogue, which goes something like this:

Oh no, here comes that Busman guy again. He's gonna ask me all sorts of weird questions, and I'll be here all day. Geez, I gotta say something to get rid of him. If I just tell him I'm leaving, that ought to do it. Yeah, lunch, that's it. So ...

Paul: "Hi, how are you?"
Friend: "So, I'm going to lunch."

[brewerpaul]

[Dale]

What did The Beach Boys and Ronald Reagan have in common? A tendency to preface things with the word "Well."

Well, she got her daddy' car and she cruised...
Well since she put me down..
Well, it's been building up inside of me for oh, I don't know how long...
Well East coast girls are hip

[Seonachan]

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2570

[weedie]

Yes Paul,I find it a wee bit annoying but not half as much as what all the politititians,company spokesmen and women,spin doctors and any so called expert that gets on the radio or telly here in OZ say.... they begin their answers with the word 'LOOK'....gggrrrrrrr I hate this ....
I think they feel that the 'look' preface gives credence to their answers ..... "Look,OK, I'll answer your silly little question" ..... gggrrrrr...

[Innocent Bystander]

It's the overwhelming cultural influence of the great E.J.Thribb.

An Example of the works.

More.

So.

Just so.

[crookedtune]

It can be a refreshing break from 'Dude'.

[Nanohedron]

Yes Paul,I find it a wee bit annoying but not half as much as what all the politititians,company spokesmen and women,spin doctors and any so called expert that gets on the radio or telly here in OZ say.... they begin their answers with the word 'LOOK'....gggrrrrrrr I hate this ....
I think they feel that the 'look' preface gives credence to their answers ..... "Look,OK, I'll answer your silly little question" ..... gggrrrrr...

Trust me: you'd hate it worse if they said, "Behold."

Really, I'm feeling a bit persecuted, being myself an enthusiast of the prefatory "Look", "So", and "Dude". Not to mention "Wow", "Hey", and "Man". BTW, you might notice that these individual gems can also be all be plugged together in various combinations like verbal Legos. I personally find them useful. I'll go sulk now.

[Denny]

Trust me: you'd hate it worse if they said, "Behold."

I don't see the two syllable ones making a comeback...


'course "Hark" isn't on my list either

[Nanohedron]

Trust me: you'd hate it worse if they said, "Behold."

I don't see the two syllable ones making a comeback...


'course "Hark" isn't on my list either

That's right! "Hark" is the same as "Listen". Everyone knows that.

Look: so all those people in the Bible were saying all the very same things you complainers are complaining about now as if it were actually news. So, nothing has really changed. So, rather than a conversational dork and sign of a dumbed-down civilisation, I am totally a classic with precedent the likes of which happens to be a best-seller AND considered exemplary English. So there. Behold that.

I would normally have said, "Check it out," but dude, I'm making a point, here.