Discussion » Questions » Language » Will your experience now change when listening to pundits on TV, who respond to most questions by starting off with the word: "So"?
Robert

Will your experience now change when listening to pundits on TV, who respond to most questions by starting off with the word: "So"?

I have noticed that there appears to be a new and most dreadful "virus-like" illness (going "viral"), one which tends to affect educated, sensible, highly qualified people (well, I can assure you that it most certainly doesn't affect me - - - - er ... Ooops !!). Pundits, asked a question by presenters on TV or radio, seem apparently compelled to start off most of their answers with the word "So". 

Well, you may ask, "So, what?"

So, its [self-censored ... ] annoying, that's why!
So, those afflicted in that manner ought to get treatment.
So, does anyone else have this problem - either those who are: afflicted with it, or afflicted by it? 

So, here's a relevant extract by way of illustration:
- - - - Start of extract: - - - -

[Heading:] "It’s so annoying
So why do people feel compelled to start every sentence with ‘so’?"
by Mark Mason, The Spectator, 5 November 2011.

"[...] We live in the Age of So. Dot Wordsworth commented on it in these pages recently, though was lost for an explanation. The phenomenon was illustrated on Radio 5 Live’s Drive programme a while back, when Peter Allen interviewed Steve Robertson of BT OpenReach about the expansion of superfast broadband.

Allen: ‘What will actually happen?’
Robertson: ‘So, what will happen is that we’re either going to be taking fibre to their home or to their business...’
Allen: ‘And how expensive is all this?’
Robertson: ‘So, we’ve already committed two and a half billion pounds...’

Within minutes listeners were emailing to express irritation at this growing habit of starting every answer with the word ‘so’. Offenders tend to be PR spokesmen — though even politicians are doing it. Witness Grant Shapps on the Today programme, asked about housing benefit changes: ‘So, I think there are three things...’ What’s going on here?

Part of the answer might be the need to belong. ‘It’s called “accommodation”,’ says Dr Penelope Gardner-Chloros, of the department of applied linguistics and communication at Birkbeck College. ‘We accommodate, and converge with, the group of people we want to belong to. Someone using “so” like this may well be doing it because they’ve heard other people doing it. It spreads like the flu.’ [...]"

Extract source:
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/it-s-so-annoying

- - - - End of extract - - - -




Posted - July 11, 2021
Tags : None

Responses


  • 581
    So, what's the problem?   Jk
    No I do not.  if there is a problem, I will yell at people in German.  It throes them of guard.
      July 11, 2021 12:59 PM MDT
    5

  • 258
    So, this is about whether as a result of reading this discussion, you will now in effect, be so afflicted from it by noticing the unpleasant issue from now on. Soooo bad !! > > > > > > > > > > > > This post was edited by Robert at September 26, 2022 7:47 PM MDT
      July 11, 2021 1:14 PM MDT
    4

  • 13277
    throes throws
      September 26, 2022 7:48 AM MDT
    1

  • 19937
    On a lot of the talk shows, most often on the news, I've noticed that when the anchor asks a question and turns it over to the correspondent on scene, many of them begin with , "Well ...,"  I attribute that to it possibly being  their way of delaying to make sure they are actually on the air (sometimes, there is a second or two time delay) or they may be delaying a beat to compose their response.

    What I find even more annoying, is when someone is asked a question and the responder begins with, "I mean ...,"  Saying that would indicate that they've said something that needs clarification.  If that's your first sentence, you don't need to clarify what you haven't yet said.  
      July 11, 2021 1:47 PM MDT
    4

  • 44602
    No...I too attuned to hearing poor grammar and usage.
      July 11, 2021 4:21 PM MDT
    3

  • 13277
    I too attuned I am too attuned
      July 11, 2021 5:23 PM MDT
    2

  • 53503

     

      It’s not just in those instances, it’s also invaded everyday life, everyday spoken word, and everyday writing. Many people begin conversations with the word “so”. Additionally, the trend is that nowadays, the word “well” at the beginning of responses has been replaced with the word “so”.
    ~

      September 26, 2022 4:34 AM MDT
    3

  • 1498
    So much for not giving away your weakness!
      September 26, 2022 5:36 AM MDT
    2