I apologise in advance to those of you who have yet to notice this phenomenon.

The proliferance, especially on TV & Radio, of people starting every sentence with "So".

Why!

It's not a recent phenomenon

The Spectator wrote about it six years ago

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2011/11/its-so-annoying/

I agree though - it's infuriating

So what exactly is your problem

Almost infuriates me as much as the propensity for law enforcement being called the Plice

Sky F1 asked Nico Rosberg to be part of their team at Japan and had obviously asked him to try to avoid starting every sentence with “for sure”. And, every time he did, he would correct himself which was even more irritating than just letting him speak the way he does...

Yep, I posted the same topic a couple of years ago after hearing yet another scientist on "The Life Scientific" answer every question with. "So, ................."

I like to end every sentence with "Know what I mean?"

Know what I mean?

I do know what you mean like.

So we cant start sentences with so or end them with know what i mean like. So for sure I've no idea where this will end up like, know what I mean

Like, in essence, essentially, basically and fundamentally, I agree.

Know what I mean like?

Or innit ?

"Can I get........" That's my current pet hate.

So, Arrrghh, my daughter says that all the time when we are dining out and the waiter comes around she's like "can I get the xxxxx" I keep telling her it should be "Can I have" like, know what I mean!

I'm so glad you have all reached out about this issue.

I actually heard someone saying, just the other day, "I was, like, literally..."

Grr.

PS - reporters: please learn the difference between 'insure' and 'ensure'; they don't mean the same thing - they're nearly polar opposites.

Oh good, another language rant!

I'm definitely up for this


Dam*, the forum bot changed my d e f o to definitely !

Or should that be defin8ly

I was recently visiting a mate who is semi retired from design engineering & he listens to radio Scotland & is driven mad by "so"
He's one step grumpier than myself, he has written several letters explaining how annoying this is. I'm not at the letter stage yet.

I'm going to stop now, if I start pointing out my dislikes, I will not be able to stop.

Just when it was getting interesting Jim

"So" is just the latest incarnation of "well", which every interviewee used to say before beginning an answer. It is (as I'm sure everyone here is well aware) a device our brains use to buy time when structuring our response to a question. It is *almost* never voluntary (when used verbally) and joins the ranks of verbal tics we humans use as part of our complex communication.

Doesn't mean it isn't annoying though!

Is it actually?

"So ..." is just something to say while you are formulating your next sentence. If you made no sound at all the other person would not know you are about to say something. You can use "Er ..." or "Um ..." in the same way, it just primes the other person in the conversation to listen to you. If you didn't make these sounds the conversation would have odd gaps and would not flow properly. If you find this annoying you must be in a constant state of discomfort!

The one that IS annoying is "at the end of the day ..." usually on TV discussion shows where The Public get to air their views. "At the end of the day, does it really matter if Theresa May has a spare £140,000 to spend on a silk scarf? It's 'er money innit? Knowottamean?"

A gap or two is not something I find annoying at all. It allows conversation to "come up for air", or to show that someone may be exercising some caution (not like some POTUS's) before they emit something, or just plain giving some more consideration to their answer.

But then speaking as a musician I may be more inclined to say that....

I meant - if you find "Um"s and "So"s annoying.

I've noticed that if you listen to teenagers conversing a lot of it is just strange noises, like a video game. It's frightening, the dumbing down that's going on in schools.

I do not see it to be much different than when I was a teenager at school in the 80's with respect to how parents (adults) viewed us and our attitude and vocabulary.

Aye Simon, the over use of "wunna" & "gunna" seems to be over used at the moment.

Does overly exuberant snapping of fingers on both hands above your head count too as an annoying recent thing?

Possibly as annoying as whipping of the fingers

A different vocabulary is one thing, but when they are just making sounds it's so weird, like eavesdropping on cavemen.