So....

Warning – glass house post ahead.

 I just watched Peter Wengert’s video about Microsoft’s automotive endeavors. Interesting, and informative, yes. But damn, what an extreme example of Microsoft “so-itis”. Virtually every answer started with the word “so”. This “so” stuff has become a bit of a running “’softie-speak” joke in the community, but this one really struck me as noticeable. Sorry, Peter, I don’t mean to pick on you specifically – hell, you’re a far more eloquent speaker than I. But damn, the so’s…

For years I’ve noticed these kind of repeated phrases while listening to people speak – I call them “verbal ticks”. I don’t know what triggers them, but they seem to be very common. However, Microsoft may be the first example I’ve seen of a large-scale, shared verbal tick. Fascinating.

I’m sure I probably have verbal ticks of my own. Every once in a while I catch myself with one, and work to expunge it from my speaking style. But undoubtedly others remain, because unfortunately it’s bloody hard to spot your own ticks.

5 Comments

  • I don't have definitive proof, but my theory is that this stems from presenter training that some folks at Microsoft receive from Waggoner-Edstrom. I went through this training as a guest of an organization I belonged to, and one of the things they suggest is to avoid worse verbal tics, such as 'um' and 'uh' by choosing an actual word, such as...'so'.



    Once enough MSFT presenters got into this habit, it became self-perpetuating. Or at least that's my theory. And while it may be distracting once you notice its prevalence, I still think it's better than 'um'.

  • Yep, it's a hard habit to get out of. I don't even hear it anymore.



    I went to Canada over the weekend and they end every sentence with "A."



    I guess everyone has their language placeholders.

  • GAD - At last, an explanation! :) Good to know it's not some sort of mass psychosis, or an unpleasant side-effect of the red pill.



    I do find it distracting once I notice it - but then, my tendency to fixate on verbal ticks may be more my problem than other peoples. I really notice that stuff. I do agree that it's better than um, though.





    Robert - ah yes, the Canadian "eh". Most of my extended family is Canadian, so I know it well.

  • Well there goes my point of view...



    I'd always considered the "eh" sound from Canadian women as attractive. Now that I realize it's nothing more than thier version of "um" it's really going to bother me.



    Nice post though.

  • In Microserfs one of the characters notes that Bill Gates NEVER uses "um". DOn't know if that's true or not...but I've tried to curtail my own usage.



    I think instead of "so" I'd pick something more obvious like "Chatanooga". That way I'd be more likely to notice it and stop it.



    Of course people would probably just think I have Tourettes.



    Yo Kev!

Comments have been disabled for this content.