When/why did people begin starting sentences with 'so?'

[3325]

I don't like beginning sentences with "so." But it doesn't irk me as much as being addressed as "dude." Sometimes this happens in person but it's more common in print.

I see it on some message boards. You post something and someone quotes you and his response starts, "Dude, ......."

It makes me wonder if he just took a bong rip before starting to type.

 

[Poser]

This phenomenon seems to span a wide range of people as far as interest groups - but not really older people. So, it must have something to do with the younger generations.

False.


The first known written use of so as a sentence opener is in several lines of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, published in the mid-1380s, for example: So graunte hem sone out of this world to pace (So grant him soon out of this world to pass);

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I don't like beginning sentences with "so." But it doesn't irk me as much as being addressed as "dude." Sometimes this happens in person but it's more common in print.

I see it on some message boards. You post something and someone quotes you and their response starts, "Dude, ......."

I agree. I just tell them, I got your dude hanging.

 

[Mojave]

Personally, language was designed to convey ideas. Then somewhere along the way someone came along and put rules to it to make themselves feel special. If you can convey the idea and the other can understand you, what does it really matter?

Because people who have BA or MA or worse PHD's in a non-science or engineering field, like to look down their nose at everyone who works in the trades or got a MS, BS or PHD in science and actually makes a living with their education.

I have had a lot of assholes I work with send me an email after editing my email to put it in the grammatically proper sequence.

It is annoying.

 

[3325]

I agree. I just tell them, I got your dude hanging.

It makes it sound like he just took a bong rip before starting to type.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

It makes it sound like he just took a bong rip before starting to type.

I never do that, unless I'm alone or with someone.

 

[roadrunner]

False.


The first known written use of so as a sentence opener is in several lines of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, published in the mid-1380s, for example: So graunte hem sone out of this world to pace (So grant him soon out of this world to pass);

Dude, did you even read the post I quoted?

 

[CCooper]

I want to jam a splintered pine dowel up his piss hole.

My sentiments exactly when someone calls me “bro” other than my biological brother.

 

[5MilesBack]

Sooooo.........I guess the bottom line is, there's a whole lot of pent up aggression in here concerning communication styles.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I tend to pay attention to trends when it comes to language. I work for a pretty big global corporation. I've noticed similar things over the years that seem to start at the very top and work their way down the line. If our CEO uses a certain phrase or style in a video conference, it will slowly trickle down to local leadership and management. A trend 10 years ago was starting with "s-so". Kinda like starting with "so" but with a stutter. Our then CEO did it a few times in a video to the company, and I'll be damned if everyone from asset managers to HR reps to training coordinators didn't start doing it. There have been several others over the years, but for some reason that one stuck with me and has puzzled me ever since. Was it a conscious effort to emulate the head of the company? Was it something done to draw attention and make sure everyone was engaged? Was it subconscious? I can't figure out why a trend of simulating a speech impediment got kicked off.

So it sounds like you company is behind the times if you still have a Human Reasources Dept. My companies "HR dept" was rebranded a few years ago it is now Business Support...So we officially have a BS dept....

 

[fwafwow]

I have noticed in the past few years it seems everyone is starting sentences with 'so.' Spoken AND written.

So I went on vacation..
So i:m looking for a new gun...
So i'm wondering...

This phenomenon seems to span a wide range of people as far as interest groups - but not really older people, so it must have something to do with the younger generations.

I am in the middle of editing a shitpile of stuff for a technology startup and while the team is very smart, every damn third sentence starts with 'so,' "So, to enable the code, you'll need to do XYZ." How about "To enable the code..."??

It's gotten to the point where I often just search and delete every 'so' in a document.

I am not sure of the source of 'so' at the beginning of sentences, but for the love of Pete, if you see one, delete it, if you say one, stop.

That is all...

I’m 52 and this is one of my pet peeves as far as *verbal* tics - and it’s one of mine. I would NEVER however put it in writing, anymore than “um” or “uh” (which I think I’ve eliminated in my speech).

 

[jwatts]

So it sounds like you company is behind the times if you still have a Human Reasources Dept. My companies "HR dept" was rebranded a few years ago it is now Business Support...So we officially have a BS dept....

I don't know what they call themselves or their preferred pronouns these days. They've all been replaced by remote workers in Malaysia, so they're seemingly always 3 days removed from any communication efforts anyway.

 

[rtkbowhunter]

Another very annoying verbal "tic" is upspeak. The rising inflection at the end of a sentence makes it sound like a question. Worked with a female sr. manufacturing engineer that had a serious case of upspeak. Every statement sounded like a question.

 

[Btaylor]

"Now then, so, um, to circle back, like I said...bruh, how did you make that vein on your forehead pop out like that? That is like too cool. Come on, you hafta show me how to do that."

 

[AZ8]

“I mean” drives me nuts. It’s everywhere.

Did you see any elk on your hunt?

I mean, I walked a couple ridges, but nothing.

 

[*zap*]

I just avoid blondes .

 

[LungButter]

from the article: "Starting sentences with "so" isn't a trend or a thing. However it may strike you, people aren't doing it any more frequently than they were 50 or 100 years ago.

Bullshit. I literally (and I mean that literally) just deleted seven "so"s out of a 588-word tech doc - all started a sentence.

They are as useless as tits on a boar hog...

So did you ever think that maybe it's just the person who originally wrote that document who is overusing it?

 

[gabenzeke]

Have you guys seen the documentary "Idiocracy"?

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Drenalin]

I have noticed in the past few years it seems everyone is starting sentences with 'so.' Spoken AND written.

So I went on vacation..
So i:m looking for a new gun...
So i'm wondering...

This phenomenon seems to span a wide range of people as far as interest groups - but not really older people, so it must have something to do with the younger generations.

I am in the middle of editing a shitpile of stuff for a technology startup and while the team is very smart, every damn third sentence starts with 'so,' "So, to enable the code, you'll need to do XYZ." How about "To enable the code..."??

It's gotten to the point where I often just search and delete every 'so' in a document.

I am not sure of the source of 'so' at the beginning of sentences, but for the love of Pete, if you see one, delete it, if you say one, stop.

That is all...

I don't want to overstate the day to day difficulty of my chosen profession, but your day doesn't sound half-bad to me. Maybe take a Midol before you get started in the mornings?

I'm mostly ball-busting here, but of all the annoying trends, the one that bugs me the most is all the complaining over minor inconveniences and stuff that really doesn't matter. Unfortunately, that one doesn't appear to be limited to young people.

 

[Billinsd]

It makes me wonder if he just took a bong rip before starting to type.

Like Fast Times at ridgemont high!! I never say dude, seems passive aggressive, and people it a lot, that I've seen are idiots and stoners. I say "hey man" and "hey".