Language desk
< March 15	<< Feb \| March \| Apr >>	March 17 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

March 16

So

Why do folks begin sentences with the word "So"?! I find this annoying in the extreme. It seems to be more of a trend in spoken English than in written, but it's still very painful. If anyone heard last week's In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 they may have been as irritated as I was with the responses of Anne Green who answered nearly every one of Bragg's questions with the word "So". Martinevans123 (talk) 12:12, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Coincidentally, something similar was asked here less than a month ago: "So". ---Sluzzelin talk 12:18, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, here's the thing. This entire discussion was had less than a month ago.

It comes down to two answers: (1) sentence connectives are a universal phenomenon, with the ancient Hittite language having so, ta, and nu; and (2) overuse of so is a verbal tick.

The below is largely a laboursome repetition full of ranting and off topic statements that should be hatted. μηδείς (talk) 03:04, 18 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

So. That was quite a discussion! Martinevans123 (talk) 12:21, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

And there's an older thread here. Deor (talk) 12:25, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Seems this topic has already hit the big time. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:29, 16 March 2015 (UTC) [reply]

There are countless annoying speech habits. Why does this one in particular offend you, presumably more than those others do? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:59, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Don't worry. I hate them all equally. This one just seems to be getting really popular. It's almost as tragic as "Here's the thing....". Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!! Martinevans123 (talk) 18:46, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

So It Goes - good enough for Vonnegut is good enough for me -- there's nothing wrong with beginning a sentence with "so", not in terms of grammar, nor syntax, nor semantics. SemanticMantis (talk) 18:33, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

There is something wrong if someone can't answer any question without beginning their answer with "So, ". Martinevans123 (talk) 18:46, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

There are probably forum websites where people can go to grouse about things like this, judging by the fact that people like to talk about them so much. One of my !favorites is "The thing is, is that ...". But "why" is a question without a very useful answer. Many people speak imprecisely, and it bothers some more than others. On the positive side, I suspect things have improved in the past few centuries. ―Mandruss ☎ 19:01, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's just a "stall" to collect one's thoughts, the same way as "Well" and "You know" and others, and they're all a lot better than "Uhhhh..." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:38, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

In that case, why is it used when writing on the internet, when you have plenty of time to collect your thoughts before posting? Do these people use it when writing English language essays for school? "So, Napoleon was, like, on his way back from Elba, and, like, he met Ney's army, which were, like, waiting for him, innit?....."

KägeTorä - (影 虎) (もしもし！)

20:48, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

U wot M8? - Wow much angry, such prescriptive! - Get off my lawn! Ppl writ &txt &talk lots of ways - code switching - No prlbm with in-group Mutual_intelligibility - linguistic register ;) SemanticMantis (talk) 21:14, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Do people in America routinely cross your lawn to get to the house, or do they actually use the designated pathway to the door, like just about everyone else?

KägeTorä - (影 虎) (もしもし！)

22:43, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

So Be It. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:18, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's all part of the pop culture way of operating. You know, the culture that believes that the only differences between singing and speaking are: in singing you shout rather than speak, and vary the pitch here and there at random; and that anyone can do it and become an amaaaazing overnight viral sensation celebrity idol without a second's training. Hopefully. Just the latest manifestation of the teenage rebel thing continued into adulthood, that goes "No way would I ever want to emulate my parents' example, or even acknowledge their existence; but it's OK - nay, mandatory - to exactly duplicate all the other rebels I associate with and look up to. While all the while maintaining an outward pretence of individuality". Would-be iconoclasts who crave the approval of others have a tough road to hoe. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 21:37, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

This, for example. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:07, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Little Britain does excellent parodies of how young people speak, especially in the Saaarf. Vicky Pollard is the character.

KägeTorä - (影 虎) (もしもし！)

21:41, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

"Does this wiki look bovvered??" Martinevans123 (talk) 22:02, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

"I soooooooo can't believe you just said that. But that girl in Class 3, you know, the one, like, with that wristband, she's got, like, a boyfriend, and like, he drives a car."

KägeTorä - (影 虎) (もしもし！)

22:13, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

(Entire audience, in unison): "Cool!" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:16, 16 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

|}

^When you collapse a discussion, you should sign. Take responsibility for your actions. SemanticMantis (talk) 18:33, 17 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

That was BenRG at 05:53, 17 March 2015. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:45, 17 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You are absolutely right about its being annoying in the extreme. In annoyingness, I would place answering questions with sentences beginning "So" even above "The thing is, is that ..." or intoning every sentence as if it were a question. 31.51.134.71 (talk) 20:20, 17 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]