# NPR trivialities **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918 "2020-12-12T19:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/61 "2020-12-14T22:05:29Z")
Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/62 "2020-12-14T22:14:14Z")
I did a lot of employee training at my old job. This included fielding questions that I often answered based on my expertise in the subject. I began a lot of my replies with “So…” I think there is something to this type of question, a question posed to an expert (relatively speaking), that makes said expert want to reply starting with “So…” This is all anecdotal. Take it as you will. Someone else in this thread noted interviewees starting a response with “Right…” I think this comes from the interviewee being asked this question (or something like it) so many times that after hearing the first several words, they’ve already guessed, in their mind, what the question is going to ask. When their guess is confirmed, they reply in this sort of affirmative way, like they already know where things are going. I’m no expert in linguistics or communication, so what I wrote is just one layperson’s uninformed opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/63 "2020-12-14T22:16:42Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Cite? You’re the one proposing that something extraordinarily unlikely happened and based on what seems to be pure fantasy. The burden is on you. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/64 "2020-12-14T22:22:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Furthermore I’ve actually heard public radio commentators commenting on this linguistic tic. Surely they would mention that this is being taught to interviewees if this has been the case. I didn’t make a claim. It was my opinion based on common sense observation. You did make a claim though, which I think is very important to any discussion about it. Please provide a cite. That will be enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/65 "2020-12-14T22:25:28Z")
The claim that I’ve heard this discussed on radio? No, I’m not going to put forth even the minimal effort to hunt doen a radio program I can’t recall the details of to refute such an unlikely claim. Come forth with actual proof that producers are coaching people to say “so” and I’ll gladly concede that you win the Internet. Barring that, I have no motivation to do any work on this proposition. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/66 "2020-12-14T22:25:40Z")
How likely is it that so many people in such a small time window started using the same verbal tick on NPR strictly by organic linguistic assimilation? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/67 "2020-12-14T22:28:47Z")
It is a run-of-the-mill linguistic tic. happens all the ding-dang-dong time. It’s no different than “like” or “um” or “see” or “okay” or “yeah” or anything else that people suddenly pepper their sentences with, especially in the form of a stalling word. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/68 "2020-12-14T22:31:31Z")
I agree with this. It comes up when an “expert” is called upon to report. It’s a common trope when it’s a scientist or Dr answering in thier professional capacity. Civilians, victims, witnesses don’t use this construction. It is a trope signifying expertise. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/69 "2020-12-14T22:33:06Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Civilians, victims, witnesses don’t use this construction. It is a trope signifying expertise. 👣 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/70 "2020-12-14T23:12:01Z")
Please say sike ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/71 "2020-12-15T22:03:27Z")
I am not a sports person but i miss the Red Barber segments. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/72 "2020-12-15T22:35:56Z")
Ads? Not here, but they do go on and on about their show sponsors, which is a form of advertising. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/73 "2020-12-16T00:48:25Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > I will confess that my inner 12-year old does a bit of a Beavis and Butthead thing whenever I hear about the Robert Wood Johnson foundation. Well, then I’ll see if I can get his brother Richard to start his own foundation, just for you. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/74 "2020-12-16T02:00:06Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > No, I’m not going to put forth even the minimal effort to hunt doen a radio program I can’t recall the details of to refute such an unlikely claim. Hey **@Acsenray** , are you cool if I make a cite on your behalf? Because I remember a _whole series_ of cites! Harry Shearer, on his public radio show _Le Show,_ had a recurring segment called **Sos of the Week** dedicated to “[instances of the word ‘so’ being used to start a sentence in news programs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Show#:~:text=sos%20of%20the%20week).” Here is a specific instance (the cite!): listen to the bit starting at **17:44** from the [May 4th, 2014 episode](https://www.wwno.org/post/le-show-may-4-2014). @drad_dog: While I agree that this use of “so” came on quite quickly, I think it’s pretty clearly an organically developed verbal tic. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/75 "2020-12-16T03:16:54Z")
You da person, 'Rito! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/76 "2020-12-16T03:35:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Come forth with actual proof that producers are coaching people to say “so” It’s precisely the opposite, in fact: > **[So, What's The Big Deal With Starting A Sentence With 'So'?](https://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/432732859/so-whats-the-big-deal-with-starting-a-sentence-with-so)** > > It has been called the new "um" or "like," but linguist Geoff Nunberg says starting sentences with "so" isn't a new trend. People have been doing it for years. We're just noticing it more now. > NPR itself has been [singled](http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2011/12/02/so-it-turns-out-that-everyones-starting-sentences-with-so/) out for overuse of “so” by both interviewees and hosts. That prompted the NPR head of standards and practices to [calculate](http://ethics.npr.org/memos-from-memmott/so-can-you-guess-how-many-times-we-started-a-sentence-this-way-in-one-week/) how many times the hosts and reporters on the major NPR news programs had started sentences with “so” in a single week in August of 2014. When the total came to 237, he urged them to look for alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/77 "2020-12-16T17:16:35Z")
y? … ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/78 "2020-12-16T18:38:23Z")
OK. Thanks. Good cite. It may be that Harry and Geoffrey noticed it when I did. It sounds like there was an inflection point in the last decade, which could be debated as to causes. I’m surprised that it’s not recognized for just being a good way to carry informative technical speech without delay. But the use of it for propaganda is upon us. When political actors use it it’s about obfuscation and lying. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/79 "2020-12-16T19:47:01Z")
I’m not following. How is using “So” to start a sentence “a good way to carry informative technical speech without delay”? How is its use by political actors “about obfuscation and lying”? What’s so unique about “So”, versus “Uhm”, “Well,” or any other interjection that is used as a spacer at the beginning of a sentence? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918/80 "2020-12-16T20:09:16Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I agree with this. It comes up when an “expert” is called upon to report. It’s a common trope when it’s a scientist or Dr answering in thier professional capacity. > > Civilians, victims, witnesses don’t use this construction. It is a trope signifying expertise. Similarly, I think this is why they often say, “That’s a good question.” They get so used to answering stupid (or uninformed, to be more charitable) questions about their subject matter of expertise that a good question often takes them by surprise. As an aside, I taught chemistry and physics for 7 years some decades ago. After a few years of teaching, the questions I got from students all tended to repeat themselves. However, I remember getting a question in my last year of teaching that was so unusual (and insightful!) that my first reaction was, “That’s a great question! I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/npr-trivialities/927918.md?page=5)