"So"
 

I see an increasing number of students starting their posts with the word "So", as in "So our team decided to ...".

Is this a new fad? In what part of the country did it originate? And, is there any chance it might overtake the (mis)use of the word "like" ?

These questions haunt me.

Re: "So"
 

It is a fad!

Very observant of you. I didn't notice the trend until I read this article (which I was brought to by this Boing Boing post) by Anand Giridharadas of the New York Times a while back.

Re: "So"
 

I'm willing to accept using the word "so" to start sentences. However, I will not abide by people who end their sentence with that word.

Re: "So"
 

It's not just students, lots of older folks do it to.

I notice that I do it sometimes.

Re: "So"
 

So, yeah. Like, this is how kids talk now days...

Can you get hip to the new scene, Daddo?



All joking aside, give it 6-12 months and it will go away.

Re: "So"
 

I'm sure that's not entirely so. Now, misusing "effect" and "affect"-- that bothers me so! Don't you say so?

(hehe)

Re: "So"
 

So, I'm like, like "like" went away after 6-12 months?

Re: "So"
 

fair enough, but I think fads come and go faster now days.

Re: "So"
 

That and "defiantly" :mad: ...

Our cross country, track and field, and nordic skiing coach for four years had some interesting speech patterns that involved ending most of his sentences with "so" or "so yeah... so." Great coach, though.

Re: "So"
 

'So' used in the manner in which you are referring - at the beginning of post - can be very effective. It can be used as a continuation of a conversation or discussion. Dean Kamen has used it effectively, in my opinion, building a bridge of discussion between seasons.

Jane

Re: "So"
 

So true! But I should have been clearer: I was referring to posts which start a new thread,
where the "So" has no backward context.

Re: "So"
 

Maybe not where we (the CD community/readers) could see it and follow.

I don't have a problem with the use of "So". It's the "HELP!!!!!!" titles that tend to be frustrating to me. I'm never sure whether to call 911 or not. :)

Jane

Re: "So"
 

I can't stand trends like these. It is so annoying when someone uses "like" every other work. Like really. You like need to learn like how to speak English right. I'm a bit of a self proclaimed grammar Nazi and sentences like that last one get under my skin.

Re: "So"
 

I always thought that so and like were being used like umm and err - as filler noise as the brain finished creating the sentence. I'm not sure how that maps to typed dialog...

Re: "So"
 

Not.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...78&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...39&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...33&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...86&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...17&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...96&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...20&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...84&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...89&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...71&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...19&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...91&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...00&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...18&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...94&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...66&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...50&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...01&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...73&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...91&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...19&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...12&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...58&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...28&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...05&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...35&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...45&postcount=1

Re: "So"
 

"So" what?

;)

Re: "So"
 

I do this sometimes when talking as well, but not when writing - which I find mildly strange. I don't do it often, so that's good, but I wish I didn't do it at all. It's like using "like" and "yeah" when describing something.
The main cause is probably my environment/peers. Public high schools (or my high school, at least) tends to lack in terms of grammar and relies more on colloquial slang.

Re: "So"
 

This was the very next thread I read after "So"....

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=125333

big chuckle

Re: "So"
 

You must hate Jean Luc Picard.

Re: "So"
 

given that so is an interjection, it's approipate to start a sentence with the word.

however if it's not a punctuation. when used to terminate a sentence it drives me absolutly nuts so

Re: "So"
 

I too have fallen befoul of the dreaded "So" at the start of a sentence but, I've been trying to correct it in written communications.

When I proof read before I hit send (and we all do that right?) I look for "So" at the start and in most cases I can delete it and capitalize the next word.

I can't think of anyone around me that uses "so" at the end, I'll need to listen more for it in conversations.

The word "like" repeated a number of times seems to be on the downturn. But I do have a favorite mentor that sometimes gets stuck and I'll get "You know the thing like the ummm the watcha ma thing like, you know like...." I just need to wait for the brain to catch up to the tongue and wait for "the red, long handled electrical crimp tool." :rolleyes:

Re: "So"
 

Is that a Star Wars guy?

Re: "So"
 

For those who might not know, Picard is the captain of the Enterprise in Star Trek The Next Generation. A common phrase from him is "Make it so."

Re: "So"
 

So, when I was in high school, my speech teacher taught us that many people, especially teenagers, had a tendency to say "like" in the middle of sentences as an unconscious attempt to fill an awkward void.

She encouraged us to use the words "now" or "so" instead, as a way to make us more aware of when we felt the need to do this.

I use "so" way too much.
Because language.

Re: "So"
 

So?

Re: "So"
 

My favorite was always when someone finishing a presentation in class with the sentence "So, um, like, yeah." Not one bit of information conveyed.

I too see the word "defiantly" accidentally used much too often.

Re: "So"
 

Another thing that annoys me is when someone says: "Do you see what I'm saying?" NO, I hear what you're saying. Unless I'm using drugs, I don't see words :D

Re: "So"
 

"See" the attachment, definition (2) :)

Re: "So"
 

A little late for it's "Christmas-ness"...but right on time considering how many of us are out of school for....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSn2JuDQSc

Re: "So"
 

Somebody had WAY too much time on their hands...

Re: "So"
 

Still no sign of slowing down...

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...61&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...93&postcount=1

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http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...01&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...06&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...35&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...90&postcount=1

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http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...17&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...16&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...86&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...41&postcount=1

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http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...06&postcount=1

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http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...89&postcount=1

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http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...78&postcount=1

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...63&postcount=1

Re: "So"
 

So, like I really like don't know like what you're saying, like we never like use weird words as trends, so yeah.... ;)

Re: "So"
 

resurrected! who cares?

Re: "So"
 

So, I do this when I talk. Most of the time when I write I clean it up.

And the other problem I have is starting sentences with and.

I think most of the time my inner voice is dictating and I'm just typing away. I'm happy when the other inner voice gets the spelling correct.

Thanks for the reminder, I do know better :rolleyes:

Re: "So"
 

Connecting a bunch of human minds on the internet sure makes it easier to pick up on new trends in our language!

Somewhat related

So like, basically, you just have to roll with it dude. "So" is now common use in informal conversations.

Re: "So"
 

While I've never found "So" as an introduction to be commendable in and of itself, I recognize it as a transition from the internal dialogue to the external. That is, the poster (or speaker) has actually spent some time trying to phrase the question clearly. I'm sure that it's used in other ways (I haven't scrolled through Ether's litany of "So" posts). However, where it does imply the preliminary thought processes, BRAVO!

"So" at the end of a sentence in the Jean Luc Picard meaning of "Make it So" doesn't bother me. Jean-Luc's "Make it so" meant that the suggestion presented by a subordinate was acceptable, accepted, and directed; I wish I had more bosses who could emulate this! On the other hand, "so...", followed with an ellipsis and left uncompleted is usually a sign of laziness or inability to express a complete thought.

Re: "So"
 

Here's a good amount of insight into the issue.

http://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfRedd..._a_rhetorical/

Re: "So"
 

I can see "So" as being a type of attention grabber when talking to someone in person. Gives a queue to start listening instead of jumping right into a sentence. It then gets placed into text when typing because of habit.

Re: "So"
 

So I see you're getting the hang of it! ::safety::