PET HATE #1,119
Women, (because it's almost always women), finishing their sentences with a trailing-off "so". Usually they do this after making a point. I sense it may be about preventing any comeback from the listener. It's a bizarre socio-linguistic feature possibly adopted to retain control (of a conversation). Because the other party is never quite sure whether the elongated "so" is going to lead anywhere, such as to a connecting phrase, the speaker has the upper hand and is dominant - it strongly discourages any reply. You're left hanging on, and it's not clear whether the speaker wants you to reply or shut up. Once you're aware of the "so" thing, though, you notice it everywhere. Here's an example of it in a 'bragging' context:
"Yes, well, we've seen a place and put an offer in. We had to wait ages and there was a lot of messing around, but the offer's been accepted now, so......." (nothing).
And in an 'I'm correct' context:
"I looked it up. It doesn't mean a lettuce leaf it means a leaf from a tree, so...." (voice trails off into silence).
You get the idea.
Women, (because it's almost always women), finishing their sentences with a trailing-off "so". Usually they do this after making a point. I sense it may be about preventing any comeback from the listener. It's a bizarre socio-linguistic feature possibly adopted to retain control (of a conversation). Because the other party is never quite sure whether the elongated "so" is going to lead anywhere, such as to a connecting phrase, the speaker has the upper hand and is dominant - it strongly discourages any reply. You're left hanging on, and it's not clear whether the speaker wants you to reply or shut up. Once you're aware of the "so" thing, though, you notice it everywhere. Here's an example of it in a 'bragging' context:
"Yes, well, we've seen a place and put an offer in. We had to wait ages and there was a lot of messing around, but the offer's been accepted now, so......." (nothing).
And in an 'I'm correct' context:
"I looked it up. It doesn't mean a lettuce leaf it means a leaf from a tree, so...." (voice trails off into silence).
You get the idea.
