I've noticed an alarming increase in the frequency with which people begin sentences with "so." Typically, someone is being interviewed on the radio, and the person asks a question, and for no reason at all, the interviewee inserts "so" at the beginning.

Q: Why did you go to Iceland in the dead of winter?
A: So I was sitting on a beach in Florida one day last summer, and I thought, you know, it's too hot down here.

This is a new phenomenon in grammar and I suspect it's limited to Americans, who also think it's fine to begin sentences with "Like."

It's incredibly annoying.

I sometimes use "So anyway" as a way of reverting a conversation back on it's original topic, if I was interrupted or had otherwise digressed.

trubble76 wrote:I sometimes use "So anyway" as a way of reverting a conversation back on it's original topic, if I was interrupted or had otherwise digressed.

Yes, I think that's very common...

Blood wrote:This is a new phenomenon in grammar and I suspect it's limited to Americans, who also think it's fine to begin sentences with "Like."

Whereas Brits never tamper with grammar, spelling or basic English, innit?

So, after looking at this thread, I wondered whether it couldn't go over here.

So, I tend to agree with the OP. So annoying, isn't it, to keep starting sentences and fragments with "so"?

So much for my 2ps worth.

At least it isn't like the Irish, ending their sentences with so, so.

So what?

So long as you put your feet under my table, you'll do as you're told, young lady.

Brits do it too. Not as much perhaps, but one gentleman did it on the BBC breakfast news programme only this morning.

I think I may have done it a time or two.

What I know I do is finish sentences with it, sure I did it yesterday, so...

So sue me!

Blackadder wrote:At least it isn't like the Irish, ending their sentences with so, so.

To be sure.

Pfeh.

We can make a sensible one-word sentence that both starts and ends with 'so'.

Sowieso.

On the other hand, half of the people don't know how to spell it correctly even if their lives depended on it.

'So' as a starter seems like an apt word to break an awkward silence and replace it with an awkard conversation.
"So... how's the weather there?"
"We're in the same room, Carl."

Blood wrote:I've noticed an alarming increase in the frequency with which people begin sentences with "so." Typically, someone is being interviewed on the radio, and the person asks a question, and for no reason at all, the interviewee inserts "so" at the beginning.

Q: Why did you go to Iceland in the dead of winter?
A: So I was sitting on a beach in Florida one day last summer, and I thought, you know, it's too hot down here.

This is a new phenomenon in grammar and I suspect it's limited to Americans, who also think it's fine to begin sentences with "Like."

It's incredibly annoying.

I bet you're suffering from the recency illusion.

Blackadder wrote:At least it isn't like the Irish, ending their sentences with so, so.

What sort of 1950's Hollywood film are you living in?

Another so so thread.

Was that a 50's film? Sounds right up my street.

With Zsa Zsa, I presume.

I do it all the time. So this morning I was outside, when ...

HughMcB wrote:

Blackadder wrote:At least it isn't like the Irish, ending their sentences with so, so.

What sort of 1950's Hollywood film are you living in?

I have Irish friends who do this. So.

The sentence doesn't really begin with 'So', the So is just like 'Hey, I'm talking now!'. I do it all the time in lectures when people won't STFU and I want to say something.

Blood wrote:I've noticed an alarming increase in the frequency with which people begin sentences with "so." Typically, someone is being interviewed on the radio, and the person asks a question, and for no reason at all, the interviewee inserts "so" at the beginning.

Q: Why did you go to Iceland in the dead of winter?
A: So I was sitting on a beach in Florida one day last summer, and I thought, you know, it's too hot down here.

This is a new phenomenon in grammar and I suspect it's limited to Americans, who also think it's fine to begin sentences with "Like."

It's incredibly annoying.

WOW! I thought I was the only one who noticed this. I've even gotten to the point where I count how many times the interviewee starts a sentence with "so". I don't notice this in ordinary speech, only on radio talk shows or interviews. It's uncanny. What programs do you listen to?

Blackadder wrote:At least it isn't like the Irish, ending their sentences with so, so.

Frisians tend to end their sentences with 'yea now', which makes more sense in Dutch/Frisian.