Annoying verbal behaviour.

[Harrowby Hall]

Am I the only person who finds the habit of starting every utterance with "So ..." to be annoying?

Television screens were graced this morning by the presence of  Nadhim Zahawi, the Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment. He was answering questions on the possibility of vaccine passports.

Virtually every response he made started  "So, ...". The impression I gain from this response is that his  answer is part way through before he says anything and I find this rather frustrating in a manner similar to that generated by the appalling "upspeak" behaviour. If this indicates his level of interest in the effective use of the English language, then it is ironic that he is the MP for Stratford upon Avon.

Are there any speech habits that  other members of this forum find ... err ... inelegant?

[Aruntraveller]

Are there any speech habits that  other members of this forum find ... err ... inelegant?

Oh loads!!

The one that really irritates me is the missing "g" as in "missin". One of the prime exponents of this horrible affront to the English Language is Beth Rigby on Sky News. So irritatin. Really, just typin about it is making me cross.

[bluehillside Retd.]

"Like". Why is it that so many of "da yoof" seem unable to utter a sentence without the word "like" appearing unnecessarily and multiply? "I went to, like, the shop today, and the man said, like, "can I help you?", so I said, like...." etc.

My daughter's boyfriend has a bad case of likeitis, and it makes communication impossible because whenever he speaks to me my mind instantly wanders to the various and elaborate ways i could murder him... 

[SteveH]

Could of, would of, and should of.

[SteveH]

"Trope" - word used by tiresome pseudo-intellectuals to try to sound clever.

[Roses]

My sisters and I were brought up to speak received English by my English mother, who was extremely strict about how we spoke. Admittedly from time to time I would put on my home island's accent just to wind her up. But to give Mother here due it has stood me in good stead over the years, especially when public speaking, of which I have done quite a lot the past. I  get irritated when people say 'haitch', instead of 'aitch'.

[SusanDoris]

"Like". Why is it that so many of "da yoof" seem unable to utter a sentence without the word "like" appearing unnecessarily and multiply? "I went to, like, the shop today, and the man said, like, "can I help you?", so I said, like...." etc.

My daughter's boyfriend has a bad case of likeitis, and it makes communication impossible because whenever he speaks to me my mind instantly wanders to the various and elaborate ways i could murder him... 

Is he perhaps a little nervous?! You're an older person, and his girlfriend's dad, like, maybe he's a bit daunted!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Is he perhaps a little nervous?! You're an older person, and his girlfriend's dad, like, maybe he's a bit daunted!

Daunted? By me? I'm about as daunting as a mouse in carpet slippers! 

[Nearly Sane]

"Trope" - word used by tiresome pseudo-intellectuals to try to sound clever.

I presume that you are saying that about the recent use with changed meaning rather than in its sense of figurative speech?

[SteveH]

I presume that you are saying that about the recent use with changed meaning rather than in its sense of figurative speech?

Yes. I nearly added that those who use it pretentiously don't even know what it means, but it has come to mean cliche, symbol, etc. as well, and words mean what they mean, even if some changes are unfortunate and should be resisted.

[Nearly Sane]

Yes. I nearly added that those who use it pretentiously don't even know what it means, but it has come to mean cliche, symbol, etc. as well, and words mean what they mean, even if some changes are unfortunate and should be resisted.

Why?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Iconic. Why does everything from the Queen to a Gregg's sausage roll seem to be "iconic" these days?

[bluehillside Retd.]

NS,

Why?

Presumably because as he thinks morality has to be absolute and fixed to be "real" he thinks the same thing about language?   

[Nearly Sane]

NS,

Presumably because as he thinks morality has to be absolute and fixed to be "real" he thinks the same thing about language?

You may have your phantom name changers mixed up. This one is Steve not Vlad.

[SteveH]

Why?

Why what? If you mean "why are some changes unfortunate and should be resisted?", because they eliminate a useful distinction, or leave us with no word for a particular meaning. For example, the use of "literally" as a mere intensifier means we have no obvious word to mean "not metaphorically or exaggeratedly".

[bluehillside Retd.]

NS,

You may have your phantom name changers mixed up. This one is Steve not Vlad.

Ah, yes I have (it's quite a Vladdian moniker). My apologies to both. 

[SteveH]

You may have your phantom name changers mixed up. This one is Steve not Vlad.

Indeed I am.

[SteveH]

NS,

Ah, yes I have (it's quite a Vladdian moniker). My apologies to both.

Don't mention it, dear boy. MY apologies for confusing you.

[jeremyp]

Am I the only person who finds the habit of starting every utterance with "So ..." to be annoying?

Television screens were graced this morning by the presence of  Nadhim Zahawi, the Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment. He was answering questions on the possibility of vaccine passports.

Virtually every response he made started  "So, ...". The impression I gain from this response is that his  answer is part way through before he says anything and I find this rather frustrating in a manner similar to that generated by the appalling "upspeak" behaviour. If this indicates his level of interest in the effective use of the English language, then it is ironic that he is the MP for Stratford upon Avon.

Are there any speech habits that  other members of this forum find ... err ... inelegant?

I hate the "so" thing with a passion. Unfortunately, I do it too.

[SusanDoris]

On another forum, I have just seen yet another example of one thing that I do find annoying (apart from all those mentioned above!) and that is the wrong use of the word'laying' when it should be 'lying'.

The person concerned posts lengthy posts designed to demonstrate and impress with additional information, but  the misuse of 'laying' is consistent so not a typo.