sort of

[Nancy]

Has anyone else sort of noticed lately that the phrase "sort of" has been used more and more? I sort of noticed it a few days ago and then again sort of noticed it this morning while watching the news, when I think I heard the anchor say "sort of" about 10 times within just a few minutes. Has this been going on for a while?? I certainly hope I haven't sort of been doing it myself!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Yes, it's been going on for a long time. It's one of those sentence fillers. Very annoying.

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Um.

[Nancy]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Yes, it's been going on for a long time. It's one of those sentence fillers. Very annoying."

Thank you. I sort of didn't think I was imagining it. :)

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I don't think I can appreciate a news anchor using the phrase sort of. It sounds like the opposite of factual.

[Nancy]

I agree! Excellent point.

[Rebecca]

The one I love is when people say "very kind of" or "very sort of." Well,which is it?

[Jammies]

"Sorta" is even worse!

[Nancy]

Charly, I wish I hadn't either...

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Charly wrote: "I kind of sort of hadn't noticed."

I kinda sorta can't help but want to shorten your phrase.

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I would never! But I can't vouch for the others.

[Scout]

Public radio is rampant with sort ofs and is handy when the speaker doesn't want to make a definitive statement.

[Gertie]

I just want to be to stop saying "like" all the time.

[Nancy]

Scout wrote: "Public radio is rampant with sort ofs and is handy when the speaker doesn't want to make a definitive statement."

It's so annoying! I think you are right about when it is used, but I think lately it is used so much by people who aren't even aware they are saying it. It reminds me of the gross overuse in recent years of "amazing" and "absolutely".

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Every time I get stuck near a young person who says like every 3rd word I want wrap their entire head in duct tape. Say, 35 layers. If I find myself stuck near one of these conversations, I get away from it as quickly as possible.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

I agree with that.

[Gertie]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Every time I get stuck near a young person who says like every 3rd word I want wrap their entire head in duct tape. Say, 35 layers. If I find myself stuck near one of these conversations, I get a..."

So you see my quandary - I say like too much, which makes me want to wrap my own entire head in duct tape.

[Angela~twistedmind~]

Charly wrote: "One of the best T-shirt slogans I have ever seen was, "Silence is Golden, Duct Tape is Silver""

I thought that was amusing the first couple dozen times Mr. Angela uttered it. Now I just want to muzzle him every time he spouts it off. It's even got to the point that I already know at what point in the conversation he is going to include it before he actually does.

[Janice]

Angela, you could always use that silver duct tape to get some golden silence.