Starting sentences with 'So'

[DaleCooper]

Ah-ha! There's one of my pet hates! 'both at school and work situations'. What's wrong with 'both at school and work'? The word 'situation' in that context has crept into our language!

I would prefer "both at school and at work".

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I would prefer "both at school and at work".

Both would be acceptable to the Grammar Police?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If it makes you feel better the usage came from Unionised labour who, when having nothing better to do whilst striking over the wrong type of biscuit, came up with the idea as a way to annoy those conservatives who just want to work for the betterment of everyone and that language should be as inflexible as union members

How dare you imitate my style of posting on this website.....
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I would prefer "both at school and at work".

Well said, that man.
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Both would be acceptable to the Grammar Police?

Surely there are none of these on this website. But I do remember the term "Grammar Nazis" being used.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

What's wrong with the word it?




In all honesty, I don't care massively about so being used at the start of a sentence. What I really detest is when people get there, their and they're confused. It's not that hard to remember which one is correct!

The one that annoys me is when someone writes "I would of thought..." instead of the correct "I would have thought...". I understand how it happens, but if you want your sentence to sound more like spoken English, use "would've". Of course that just introduces an apostrophe, which already causes enough problems!

 

[yorksrob]

These various other grammatical inconsistencies are all very annoying, but they're hardly breaking news.

The strange thing about the "So" issue is that I can't remember anyone doing it, then about two years ago, so many started to use it.

 

[kermit]

I too have found myself vexed by the use of "So" at the beginning of each sentence.

It is not something I have noticed in written form, but stands out in radio and TV interviews.

I'm sure I have noticed a strong correlation with interviews with academics being asked to explain something, and particularly those from the sciences.

 

[Groningen]

So it should happen.

 

[yorksrob]

I suppose in the old days people might prefix a sentence with the word "Well...." which seems a lot less incongruous to me, but that may be because it's been around for a long time. Don't hear it so much now though.

 

[Springs Branch]

Globalisation being what it is, "so ...." has become quite a thing in Australia in the past year or two, even in news reports on the quality ABC TV (when it's a twenty/thirty-something presenter). My wife,who is a teacher, only commented on it this week.

One of my work colleagues (also in his early thirties) routinely starts e-mails which have any sort of detailed content with "So ....." I suppose most e-mails are just conversations which are typed out, but you wouldn't write "Well .." or "Erm ..." at the start of a narrative, which is the role "so" often seems to take.

But worst of all to my ear is another recently-recruited colleague with a brand-new, shiny doctorate who uses Reality TV-speak to talk about her PhD "journey".

 

[yorksrob]

But worst of all to my ear is another recently-recruited colleague with a brand-new, shiny doctorate who uses Reality TV-speak to talk about her PhD "journey".

If I start talking about my degree 'journey' it will involve slammers from Kent into London and Mk 3's up the WCML

 

[WestCoast]

Couldn't agree more. In my mind this has come from Australia and is connected to sentences that rise in pitch at the end and sound like questions?

BUT the biggie for me is...."Can I get....?" Normally preceded by "er, yah" and followed by "an organic frapped mochaccino with vanilla syrup and sprinkles"!

No you can't GET it. You can buy it and have it but the person behind the counter will GET it. That's their job! Stop being such an affected knob.

Also not a fan of "can I get", it just doesn't sound very good to me. I was discussing meal arrangements with a few (British) friends recently and they mentioned getting a "take out". That sounds very odd to me!

 

[the101]

The one that gets my proverbial goat is 'like'. "So, y'know, we were like so drunk, like, and it was like, so awesome yeah, like, like, brilliant, yeah, like, like...

Not long ago I spent a while on a train listening to a student type explaining something to a lady who I assumed was her mother with copious use of the word 'like'. Like, it was like three or four times in every, like, sentence.

From earwigging a bit more it turned out that she hoped to become an English teacher after graduation. There is no hope.

 

[AlterEgo]

So, I was catching up on a few programmes last night and watched Only Connect from this monday

So, for the second week running an apparently intelligent 20/30 something couldn't help but keep starting sentences with so

So, where has this abomination come from?, text speak?, America?, appallingly bad teaching?

So, am I the only one who was within inches of needing to extricate my foot from the television?

"Monday" should be capitalised. First two sentences should have a full stop at the end. Question marks and commas don't ever go next to each other.

So there.

 

[Harbornite]

So, I was catching up on a few programmes last night and watched Only Connect from this monday

So, for the second week running an apparently intelligent 20/30 something couldn't help but keep starting sentences with so

So, where has this abomination come from?, text speak?, America?, appallingly bad teaching?

So, am I the only one who was within inches of needing to extricate my foot from the television?

As Alterego points out, this is an appallingly written post and almost as bad as so at the start of a sentence. I know you are parodying people who use so a lot, but that isn't the issue at hand here.

Commas don't go after question marks and words after a question mark should be capitalized, so in your case, appallingly should have a capital A. If we want to criticise other people, make sure that your own spelling, punctuation and grammar are as good as they can be!

 

[Yew]

So, () I would perhaps argue that this is a consequence of several modern TV shows, which strongly feature incredibly fast witty comebacks. I suppose a few examples off the top of my head are 'The Inbetweeners' and 'The Big Bang theory'. Because of this rapid rapport the general accepted speed of a response, at least for viewers of these shows, has became a lot faster. Therefore, in order to keep up with their perception of how quickly they should reply, they annunciate a verbal tick of some sort whilst they are mentally composing their sentence . Typically this may be a short word, or indecisive noise for example 'erm', 'uhh', 'so', 'well', 'like', 'Yeahhh...'.

Also, like, yaknow.. Language evolves with time, perhaps we are currently in a slightly awkward transitional phase?

 

[Polarbear]

I've also noticed that quite a lot of people are using the word 'so' at the start of a sentence-often repeatedly.

Some other words that have crept into modern day parlance at random intervals that I consider inappropriate are 'like' and 'and stuff'. The latter seems to be a universal descriptor for just about anything!

I suppose at least they aren't swearing profusely!

 

[TheEdge]

So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like.

*Forum wide twitching*

 

[ExRes]

As Alterego points out, this is an appallingly written post and almost as bad as so at the start of a sentence. I know you are parodying people who use so a lot, but that isn't the issue at hand here.

Commas don't go after question marks and words after a question mark should be capitalized, so in your case, appallingly should have a capital A. If we want to criticise other people, make sure that your own spelling, punctuation and grammar are as good as they can be!

I can't quite work out whether you are being 'amusing' or not, if you are then I'm quite happy to be laughed at any old time, if you're being serious though, then I'd suggest you look through some of your own posts from today and check your spelling along with the use of American versions rather than English

So, I think I'll get back to my crossword now, I hope your evening is a pleasant one

 

[J-2739]

I can't quite work out whether you are being 'amusing' or not, if you are then I'm quite happy to be laughed at any old time, if you're being serious though, then I'd suggest you look through some of your own posts from today and check your spelling along with the use of American versions rather than English

So, I think I'll get back to my crossword now, I hope your evening is a pleasant one

He's just trying to get the point across that while you were criticizing the use of so, there were grammar mistakes involved in your OP, so technically calling you a hypocrite.

Then again, we are all human and bound to make some grammar mistakes but with so much of them in your OP, I'm rather surprised that you didn't notice this before posting.

 

[miami]

So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like. So like.

*Forum wide twitching*

Yeah but like so yeah init?


So la ti do ray me far

 

[DaleCooper]

I once overheard the end of a conversation which went "Just saying, know what I mean, innit?".

Can we leave ExRes alone, the original post was about the misuse of a word in spoken English, not grammatical errors in writing.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There certainly wasn't a comma on TV, although could there have been one if i'd been using subtitles?

I doubt it - at least not with the live subtitling on news broadcasts. The subtitles are so prone to errors that there are whole websites devoted to them!

Never start a sentence with the word 'but' we had drummed in to us at school. But I agree to differ.

Butt!! went the goat after spotting a fisherman on the riverbank...

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I once overheard the end of a conversation which went "Just saying, know what I mean, innit?"

Ending a sentence with 'just saying' is something that I don't like. And I think there is a difference between '... just saying' and 'So ...':

Using 'so' as a filler word to start a sentence, even though it adds no meaning, is to my mind a matter of pure aesthetics. It's a very recent thing in English, and some people will like it, some will dislike it. But in the end it's nothing more than one of countless ways that English evolves. It has no real consequence, and it seems to me quite similar to the way that conversational German very often uses filler words to slightly colour the tone of what's being said without significantly changing the meaning - so it's not without precedent linguistically.

Ending a sentence with 'just saying' however isn't merely adding a meaningless filler. In my experience it's very often used by people to cover that what they are saying is actually offensive or hateful, and if they'd thought for a moment before they opened their mouths, they'd perhaps have refrained from saying it. So 'just saying' is not only a matter of aesthetics - I would suspect it is actually contributing to hatred/racism/etc.

Personally, while I understand that changes in language can seem aesthetically unpleasant, I'd prefer any complaints to be directed at things that do have real, bad consequences.

 

[fergusjbend]

So, I notice that this irritating construction prefaces many of the threads concerning fare dodging. 'So I was late for work and there was a queue....'. 'So the RPO wouldn't take my credit card...' Whenever I see this beginning I think to myself 'So who does he think he is kidding?'

 

[TheEdge]

Or the Grammar National Socialists could accept that languages evolve...

 

[Harbornite]

I doubt it - at least not with the live subtitling on news broadcasts. The subtitles are so prone to errors that there are whole websites devoted to them!

Sometimes I switch on the subs to have a laugh. I've seen Ed Miliband written as Ed Miller band and Madagascar as Mad gas cars.

If you're being serious though, then I'd suggest you look through some of your own posts from today and check your spelling along with the use of American versions rather than English

There's nowt wrong with using the odd American word, my computer is set to US English so it autocorrects to that language. People should sort out their own grammar/punctuation/spelling/spoken language before going on at others. In my opinion, written language mistakes are worse than the aforementioned words being used too much.

I'd say my spelling is pretty good, I make the odd cockup but that's only when I'm using my Ipad or phone, both of which have inferior keypads and I don't particularly like using them. What I do know is that none of my recent posts are as badly written as your initial post in this thread.

We are actually both singing from the same hymn sheet as we both appreciate good spelling, punctuation and grammar and the correct usage of language. I think that using "so" and "like" more times than necessary is not ideal but they act as filler for spoken conversation, hence why we don't use them in written posts. However, it's harder to justify spelling and grammatical mistakes like the incorrect usage of commas and there/they're/their.

(I should add that the evolution of language doesn't really bother me. Scholars in Roman times were complaining about some Latin words being spelled incorrectly by people so it's nothing new)

 

[ExRes]

Sometimes I switch on the subs to have a laugh. I've seen Ed Miliband written as Ed Miller band and Madagascar as Mad gas cars.




There's nowt wrong with using the odd American word, my computer is set to US English so it autocorrects to that language. People should sort out their own grammar/punctuation/spelling/spoken language before going on at others. In my opinion, written language mistakes are worse than the aforementioned words being used too much.

I'd say my spelling is pretty good, I make the odd cockup but that's only when I'm using my Ipad or phone, both of which have inferior keypads and I don't particularly like using them. What I do know is that none of my recent posts are as badly written as your initial post in this thread.

We are actually both singing from the same hymn sheet as we both appreciate good spelling, punctuation and grammar and the correct usage of language. I think that using "so" and "like" more times than necessary is not ideal but they act as filler for spoken conversation, hence why we don't use them in written posts. However, it's harder to justify spelling and grammatical mistakes like the incorrect usage of commas and there/they're/their.

(I should add that the evolution of language doesn't really bother me. Scholars in Roman times were complaining about some Latin words being spelled incorrectly by people so it's nothing new)

I have to say that this is all rather boring now and I really can't be bothered to argue, I will however congratulate you on your inventiveness at creating new words. Your bringing the word 'Therese's' into use on another thread is to be applauded, especially with the capital T in mid sentence, I do so like being lectured by people who are too sloppy to find their own mistakes

 

[Harbornite]

Iur bringing the word 'Therese's' into use on another thread is to be applauded, especially with the capital T in mid sentence, I do so like being lectured by people who are too sloppy to find their own mistakes

There's a difference between mistakes caused by quick typing and poor usage of punctuation. I'm being picky with you because you are picky with others. It seems to me that you don't like the taste of your own medicine.

Also it's a bit odd that you're going through my comments just to prove a point. If my sloppy typing offends you so much then drop me a link to it and I might correct it. I did mention earlier why some of my posts are badly written...

By the way, if you want to see bad grammar then look no further than your own comment. I do so like... really? Was that a deliberate reference to the topic of the thread? Also you forgot a full stop at your end of your sentence, but kudos to you for using their rather than they're or there.

 

[DaleCooper]

Harbornite/ExRes - please don't turn this thread into a personal spat. Why not kiss and make up?

Oh dear, did I just end a sentence with a preposition? Perhaps it's an adverb in that context.

 

[Harbornite]

Harbornite/ExRes - please don't turn this thread into a personal spat. Why not kiss and make up?

Oh dear, did I just end a sentence with a preposition? Perhaps it's an adverb in that context.

I'll stop. So when I see, like, bad grammar being used by, y'know, like, someone who is, like, moaning about people's poor use of language then, like y'know, I'm going to correct them.


In all seriousness, I'm not going to bother correcting any more grammar in this thread. I just think that someone who preaches about the decline in the quality of language should not be making so many grammatical errors. I usually don't care when I see spelling and grammatical errors being used in an internet forum (unless it's the old they're/there/their chestnut) but if someone is going on about it then I'm going to correct them. As I said before, written language errors are worse than the overuse of certain words in spoken language.