The epidemic of starting sentences with the word 'So'

[wobblywinelover]

I'm expecting a backlash of abuse for this one but it's a mild to moderate irritation of mine that everyone seems to be using the word 'So' when they start a conversation/post/sentence/explanation. It seems to have started this year and escalated.

examples-
'SO... today I went to visit xxx and did blah blah blah and it was amazing'

When asked a question -
'SO... it was like this, I had this problem and that problem so I did this and that and the other'

All the flipping time of late. AIBU to find this annoying? Everyone seems to have jumped on the bandwagon with this one and I can't help it makes people look like they're a bit full of themselves. Apologies if this has been done before

Not as annoying as people who say "I mean..." all the time. As in, "I mean, why do they do that?"

Basically is my pet hate

I'm a terrible actually offender. Only in writing though, I think.

Worse is

'Okay, so I was thinking xyz'

😠😠

Yanbu OP

So, what do you want us to do about it?

I agree with the OP that it is used far too often. There are worse (over use of 'big', 'literally', 'like' and a few others) but several wrongs do not make a right.

I tend to say and write "Anyway" too much and am given to gesticulation when speaking.

I'm quite happy to live with these characteristics and always will but when you're in a meeting with a bunch of people speaking in muted tones, stilting their words (more than one family member adopted this method of expression to suit their job titles as ref) if you don't 'mute' and 'tone' it down to their sub-volume it's easy to sound loud and be perceived as aggressive.

Just sayin.

YNAB. MIL (much adored) does this and it's intensely irritating.

Luckily she is otherwise a gem, and also makes fantastic marmalate. So...I let it slide (heh).

*marmalade.

I’m so glad you started this thread OP - I was talking to DH about this the other day as it really is my pet hate! It’s worse than like, absolutely, etc as IME it’s always used by a certain type of unbearably smug person, usually in a tone that implies “I’m going to explain this to you very slooooowly” and using the intonation of a question WHEN IT IS NOT A FUCKING QUESTION (“Soooooo, we’ve decided to go with baby-led weaning?”). I can’t bear it!

It grates but 'Look' as a sentence starter just makes me want to punch whoever's saying it - usually a Tory politician (thanks Call Me Dave for popularising that one).

Tony Blair did it too.

[quote tenlittlecygnets]It's not new!

'So' to begin a sentence functions like 'well' used to.

I heard Professor David Dennison talk about 'so' at the British Library Grammar Day last year. Really interesting!

See his talk here: www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/158005104/Paris_so.pdf[/quote]
Thanks for this. No time just now, but will read it later.

Times 100 when it starts, ‘So me and dh/whoever...’

I've seen quite a few AIBU threads starting that way recently, with 'So' as the opening word - "So I have a SIL / So my DD / So Mil and I..." etc. Made me wonder if it was a regional thing? A lot of people say it but I've not noticed it written before, without a comma or ellipses (sp) following the 'So'.

I've clearly thought about this too much 😂

It's been going on for a while, but yes, it's incredibly annoying! It reminds me of vocal fry in that once you notice it, it's impossible to ignore. It makes some people actually painful to listen to, to the point that it can be difficult to focus on their message, because I'm distracted by their irritating manner of speech. I hate it!

I was going to start a thread because I feel an irrational hatred toward people who I like because of the overuse of the word 'actually' in almost every sentence they make. Once I've heard it once I don't hear anything else they say, all I hear is that word.

@MsSweary

I was going to start a thread because I feel an irrational hatred toward people who I like because of the overuse of the word 'actually' in almost every sentence they make. Once I've heard it once I don't hear anything else they say, all I hear is that word.

Actually, I have to stop saying "actually"

I Actually cannot believe how many people I Actually must've pissed off over the years Actually

YABU ..... for only feeling mild to moderate irritation. It drives me absolutely crackers. 🙄
Please could we add people who want to 'crate' things instead of create them to the list too?

@hatesalons

Miss Hooley did it in Balamorey in the 90s so it’s not a new thing