So long and thanks for all the fish!

It’s something I absolutely detest. It’s often not used to “buy time” as frequently, the person doing it isn’t replying. Think it’s some weird affected behaviour – having spent a few years in a digital startup, seems particularly common in those semi-hipster millenials, complete with the fake almost-RP accent that gets stronger the longer they’re working in that sector.

‘Up-sentence’ is more annoying to me than ‘so’. It’s called rising intonation.

I’ve always called it “AQI”, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_rising_terminal

My boss does it, but more specifically he always shouts it… SO!, he can be in his office talking to someone on the phone, SO!, you’ll never heard anything from him except every few minutes a SO! basically shakes the windows.

Current manager starts 60% of statements with “For me, ..”

Also includes the words “kind of” (which then undermines what she is saying) interspersed within most sentences, using it multiple times quite happily.

Combination makes up most of her side of any interaction, drives me bloomin nuts! 👿

So?

blame the NZers for the rising intonation at the end of a sentence.

I blame Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Sounds like every (mostly)articulate and intelligent interviewee on R4 begins every sentence with that word. Usually immediately after the question so not ‘thinking time’. In fact the higher up the clever tree the more sos you get…

‘Like’
‘It’s kinda’
‘Basically’ are my pet hates
‘So basically its kinda like….’ would have me turning around and walking away.

You didn’t when I met you Bunnyhop 🙂

gwaelod – Member

If your organisation sends you on media training courses one of the things they tell you to do when being interviewed is to pause after a question is asked………………… If you hear a person starting an answer with “so” then they’ve done some media training, or acquired the habit by listening to other people that have done the training.

Welsh rugby players or commentators all seem to answer questions with “Look……” and I assume it’s for the same reason, but it sounds very patronising to me. It’s the wrong word.

I blame Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

It’s no biggie really though.

… A needle pulling thread

Tra-laaaa.

having spent a few years in a digital startup, seems particularly common in those semi-hipster millenials, complete with the fake almost-RP accent that gets stronger the longer they’re working in that sector.

Yes, I’m in digital and have been for years – it seems these days that the longer the beard and the more fake the glasses, the more “so” is used. Sweeping generalisation, but I’m sticking with it. I think it was the combination of all three that nearly sent me postal.
What is an RP accent?

Welsh rugby players or commentators all seem to answer questions with “Look……” and I assume it’s for the same reason, but it sounds very patronising to me. It’s the wrong word.

It’s an Australian politics -> Australian sport -> global sport trend (seriously). All Australian interviewees start responses with the words “aww, yeah, look”. It’s a way of seeming like a straight talking, no jargon guy (who’s a spanner).

Welsh rugby players or commentators all seem to answer questions with “Look……” and I assume it’s for the same reason, but it sounds very patronising to me. It’s the wrong word.

It’s an Australian politics -> Australian sport -> global sport trend (seriously). All Australian interviewees start responses with the words “aww, yeah, look”. It’s a way of seeming like a straight talking, no jargon guy (who’s a spanner).