15 thoughts on ““So””

    1. Sure. That’s a much more appropriate use for it (other than as a modifier “I hate when people start responses with “so” so much).

  2. Many sentences are constructed along the lines of the following:

    [I audibly bid for your attention], [I engage with a query marker][I claim superiority over you.]

    So, what have you done with YOUR life?

    Uhm, are you confident of your assumptions?

    Sir, have you no decency?

    Honestly, hasn’t you continued this ridiculous argument long enough already?

  3. So I’d take the article on correct usage and impact thereof a little more seriously if the author knew the difference between “seems” and “seams”:

    “The part of this lead-in that seams the least important but actually dramatically frames your message is that first little word: “so.””

      1. I do. If you have an article that’s talking about proper English usage, it behooves them to proofread the article much more carefully. Especially since not everyone knows the author.

        And you are making the assumption that the (actual) writer, editor, and proofreader all know the difference between “seams” and “seems”, in terms of spelling. I know a lot of people who do not. Some of them are engineers/scientists. I never heard of Hunter Thurman. How do I know that was a typo? How do I know he knows what he’s talking about? He has to convince me in his article.

        He did not. And the typo didn’t help.

        This Thurman dude makes a bunch of assertions…..such as:

        “So” undermines your credibility

        “So” demonstrates that you’re not 100% comfortable with what you’re saying.

        How the hell does he know that? I know a lot of scientists who are extremely knowledgeable about some areas of expertise and are very, very smart (much smarter than I). I’ve heard them use “So” in the way Thurman says is detrimental. And they did so in a seminar where they shredded (intellectually) an interrogator. You go up against these guys you’d better be prepared to defend yourself. Not that they are always right, but they know what they’re talking about, and aggressively defend themselves.

        So you have:

        Unknown author
        Trying to convince me that the use of “So” is damaging
        And does so in an article where there’s a mistake in usage.

        Sorry.

        1. The article is not about “proper English usage.” It’s business advice. I’m pretty sure that he knows the meaning of the word “seems,” even if he’s unclear on the spelling.

          1. Well I see it differently than you both with regard to the topic of the article (it’s not biz advice it’s how to impress people through correct English usage and his venue of demonstration is business) and you may be “sure” he knows the difference but as I never heard of him before in my life – I am not sure.

            I will agree to disagree on this one.

          3. I do so because, as I wrote above, I don’t know him at all…never heard of him…he makes assertions he does not back up….he doesn’t provide the slightest evidence for his assertions….his assertions claim to read the minds of the listener……

            and I think it’s silly to decide whether or not a person knows his subject based upon whether or not that person begins sentences with “So” in an incorrect manner.

  4. “So, What difference does it make? What – difference – does – it – make?” by famous politician.

    Seems to fit items 1, 2, and 3 from the article. Even without the ‘So’.

    1. Actually, the quote was “What difference, at this point, does it make,” which makes it harder to build a damaging sound bite from it. I think it was carefully scripted.

    1. Maria: When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything: So Do La Fa Mi Do Re.
      Maria: Can you do that?
      Children: So Do La Fa Mi Do Re!

  6. He makes some good points. So I am going to try and incorporate them but will still use the word where appropriate.

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