So, why is "So" used to start the sentence?

Question

Hi all,I was listening to a technical audiocast that I downloaded off the Web today. Essentially, the presenter was going through a Microsoft Powerpoint slideshow during the audiocast. For every bullet in the presentation, the presenter started explaining with a sentence that started with 'So'.For example,"So, today, we are going to learn about..".."So, ABC is basically a..""So,.."It was irritating at first but, eventually, my mind trained itself to filter out the 'So' at the beginning of every sentence.However, that set me thinking :-"I have often heard people in the USA start their sentences with 'So', especially when they are EXPLAINING something to the audience.Very often, these 'So'-s are absolutely unnecessary.What is the history behind this abuse/overuse of 'So'? Is it the result of an influence of a non-English language on American English?"Any ideas?Thanks,Sachin.P.S. So, a Happy New Year to you all!!

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[nq:1]Hi all, I was listening to a technical audiocast that I downloaded off the Web today. Essentially, the presenter was ... of 'So'? Is it the result of an influence of a non-English language on American English?" Any ideas? Thanks, Sachin.[/nq]
If you were to break down the posts, I think you'd find that I'm the leading user of "So, .." in this group. It starts a summary paragraph or a question based on the preceding paragraphs the way I use it. I use it as a writing device. I do try to avoid using it more than once in the same post, though.
So, you think it can be used effectively?

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(Email Removed) (Sachin Kailaje) wrote on 31 Dec 2003:
[nq:1]Hi all, I was listening to a technical audiocast that I downloaded off the Web today. Essentially, the presenter was ... abuse/overuse of 'So'? Is it the result of an influence of a non-English language on American > English?" Any ideas?[/nq]
This is, it seems to me, the mark of a poor speaker, and that is all. I don't think it has to do with any non-English influence on native anglophones. Many people who are equally poor speakers use other meaningless and unnecessary grunts to begin sentences, eg "Like," or "I mean," or "Well," or "Now," etc. Some people cannot allow themselves to start at the beginning but must preface that beginning with a meaningless and unnecessary sound. I know this occurs in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish. It probably occurs in all languages, but I don't what the prefatory words are in other languages.

Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.

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[nq:1]Hi all, I was listening to a technical audiocast that I downloaded off the Web today. Essentially, the presenter was ... this abuse/overuse of 'So'? Is it the result of an influence of a non-English language on American English?" Any ideas?[/nq]
In that context, "so" is equivalent to "therefor" and indicates that what is to be said is a consequence of what went before.

S&

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CyberCypher filted:
[nq:1]This is, it seems to me, the mark of a poor speaker, and that is all. I don't think it ... Japanese, and Spanish. It probably occurs in all languages, but I don't what the prefatory words are in other languages.[/nq]
I'm sure you're aware that the Japanese counterpart is "ano"..

One thing I've noticed is that, in English at least, everyone has characteristic "intentional sounds"...until you become conscious of it, "so" is at least preferable to "uhh" or a heavy sigh...one person I work with starts every new conversation with a drawn-out "so-o-o-o-o", another begins sentences with "well", still another links unrelated thoughts with "vis-a-vis"...a professor I studied under in college used to end every utterance with an appended "particular one"; we never did figure out where that came from..r

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[nq:2]Hi all, I was listening to a technical audiocast that ... a non-English language on American English?" Any ideas? Thanks, Sachin.[/nq]
[nq:1]If you were to break down the posts, I think you'd find that I'm the leading user of "So, .." ... to avoid using it more than once in the same post, though. So, you think it can be used effectively?[/nq]
'So' means collect all that I've said before and now let's move on to the next bit considering those former bits.
'Anyway' means ignore what I said before and now let's move on to the next bit not considering those former bits.
In speech, and by extension on the very speech-like usenet, these verbal cues are often used. It is possible, of course, to overuse them. For example, in a formal speech, why would you expect the new material to not be related to the previous material? And if you are really changing subjects, a more formal boundary is probably in order, perhaps an off-colour joke.

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R H Draney (Email Removed) wrote on 01 Jan 2004:
[nq:1]CyberCypher filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]This is, it seems to me, the mark of a ... I don't what the prefatory words are in other languages.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm sure you're aware that the Japanese counterpart is "ano"..[/nq]
I know the words for the four listed languages, but I've forgotten them for French ("et puis"?) and German, two other languages I used to speak, read, and write half a lifetime ago.
[nq:1]One thing I've noticed is that, in English at least, everyone has characteristic "intentional sounds"[/nq]
That's a neat label. I like it. Where does it come from?
[nq:1]...until you become conscious of it, "so" is at least preferable to "uhh" or a heavy sigh...one person I work ... drawn-out "so-o-o-o-o", another begins sentences with "well", still another links unrelated thoughts with "vis-a-vis"...a professor I studied under in college[/nq]
One of those "I want to be on top" types, eh?
[nq:1]used to end every utterance with an appended "particular one"; we never did figure out where that came from..r[/nq]
I often use "In any case,".

Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.

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CyberCypher filted:
[nq:2]One thing I've noticed is that, in English at least, everyone has characteristic "intentional sounds"[/nq]
[nq:1]That's a neat label. I like it. Where does it come from?[/nq]
I think I first ran across it when I began dabbling in Japanese...it does carry the sense of "I'm about to say something but I haven't yet decided what it will be", doesn't it?...

The same professor was also fond of "QED", which at least made sense when he used it in the classroom...(I did once hear a student ask what it meant; the classical languages were already dying in academia by the late 1970s)...it was a little jarring to hear "so they finally ended up serving me the sandwich with no mustard and no mayonnaise, QED!"...r

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[nq:1]I think I first ran across it when I began dabbling in Japanese...it does carry the sense of "I'm about to say something but I haven't yet decided what it will be", doesn't it?...[/nq]
[nq:2]One of those "I want to be on top" types, eh? I often use "In any case,".[/nq]
Some utterances are just time fillers 'til the speaker can think of more to say. Examples: "you know" and "Ya know what I'm saying." Beginning a sentence with "So" does add to the meaning of many sentences. It replaces "therefore" and "hence" and sends the message that the following sentence is a summary or conclusion from the previous sentence(s). "In any case" carries extra meaning, too.
Usually it means the implications of what has just been said can be ignored or given less weight.

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[nq:1]I know the words for the four listed languages, but I've forgotten them for French ("et puis"?) and German, two other languages I used to speak, read, and write half a lifetime ago.[/nq]
'Alors', or if you're younger 'ben'. In German, 'nun', 'also'.

Rob Bannister

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Robert Bannister (Email Removed) wrote on 02 Jan 2004:
[nq:2]I know the words for the four listed languages, but ... used to speak, read, and write half a lifetime ago.[/nq]
[nq:1]'Alors', or if you're younger 'ben'. In German, 'nun', 'also'.[/nq]
Thank you, Robert. Now that you mention them, I see that I never used them.

Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.

So, why is "So" used to start the sentence?

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