'So'

[ItsTricky]

I'm not sure if this has been happening forever, or if I'm only noticing it (and finding it irritating) now.

When I see/hear people being interviewed on TV or radio they often start answers to questions with 'So,... '

For example.

(Interviewer) 'Tell us about your new show'

(Interviewee) 'So, it's based on a true story..'

So, what's your AIBU?

It's an Americanism I think. I lived in the states for a couple of years and came back saying it.

So, AIBU for being irritated by something so trivial

I've noticed the 'So' too.

It irritates me more when posters start threads with "So I was at soft play the other day..."

It makes it look like they're continuing an invisible conversation with the rest of Mumsnet

I get irritated when the threads here begin with "So" too.

It's catching on. It's like that awful 'at the end of the day' bollocks.

X post with Worra

One of my DSs does it all the time. Last night we had "So, is my towel in the wash?". Meaningless.

DH's irritating and pointless phrase is "Oh well". I'll tell him of an imminent zombie apocalypse and he'll say "Oh well".

I never quite understand why people begin posts with "So": it just adds totally unnecessary typing and contributes absolutely nothing to the sense of the post.

I do it all of the time & have done for years. I find it really irritating and stop myself when I notice but still say & write it umpteen times a day.

I hate it too. It seems like half the threads start this way.

Susie Dent, is that you? (she said this on 8 out of 10 cats does countdown)

It's the new "basically".

tomatodizzymum, you are right!

Did Susie Dent also find it irritating?

Not as bad as starting each sentence with 'yeah'.

'Would you like tea or coffee?'
'Yeah. Tea please'

'How was your trip to timbuctoo?'
'Yeah. It was ok'

'What's going on with the traffic?'
'Yeah. It's busy'

Drives me nuts.

Eastenders is the biggest 'yeah' offender.

It's Irish I think? and I am guilty... doesnt bother me!

My family are Irish and I've not noticed anyone starting a sentence with 'so'.

They're far more likely to end with it actually.

"Are you making a cup of tea? I'll have one so"

"Will it be sunny tomorrow? We'll go to the park so"

better than, like, like, like

I hate it, it seems very common amongst scientists for some reason. If there's ever a scientist on the radio you can bet your house they will start every answer with "so".

I end up turning off the radio, no idea why they do it

I hate it, it seems very common amongst scientists for some reason

I've never realised this before but you're right. I'm a scientist so perhaps can shed some light here....maybe.

I spend a lot of time explaining ideas/concepts to people, whether through formal teaching or just designing experiments over coffee. We do a lot of reasoning, both inductive and deductive. When one concept leads naturally into a second, it is common to use "so".

We have shown that XYZ was happening in ABC, so we tested whether XYZ was also happening in MNO

So, I think the use of "so" by scientists indicates "what I am about to say directly leads from what I just said".

And that includes the "so" at the start of my last sentence.

My dh works in academia - he's a mathmo so some of his colleagues are, erm, "interesting" characters socially speaking. One of them starts every sentence with a drone-like "Sooooooo.....". Drives me nuts.

The other thing that grates with me (although I am guilty of it myself!) is "Yeah, no...". I'm not really sure what I mean by it!!

Took me so long to write my post ended up x-posting..! Obviously a science/maths world-ism, then!