So, I began my post with the word "so"

I have noticed many posts – and even many thread titles – which begin with the word “so”. The vast majority of these would make just as much sense without that introduction.

I understand that many people use this word when speaking as a time-filler, similar to how the word “like” is often used. The main difference seems to be that “so” is used only as an opening, and like is used only in the middle. But no one uses “like” when they are writing or typing, and I am wondering why they think that “so” is acceptable.

Or maybe I am the oddball, and most people see no problem with all these "so"s?

For example, GQ currently has threads titled So, I want a pig as a pet. and So, why did L.A. become the biggest city on the West Coast?. And GD has a thread titled So, are we going to be attacked again?.

Okay, three isn’t as rampant as I thought, but it still bothers me.

So?

I think “so” has taken on a meaning kind of like “attend” or “hark” used to, it means “listen up, im about to tell a story”.

Of course none of the dictionary deffinitions I could find back me up on this, but then that just might mean its a recent addition to the language.

As Malodorous said, it’s just used as an indicator that you’re going to start talking about something. Similar to “Hey” or “You know what?” or any number of words which are used to get attention which have nothing to do with the actual topic to follow. A message board being a conversational sort of place, it seems natural to some people to throw that stuff in.

Thanks. I suppose that makes sense, but it seems so superfluous when it is the first post in a thread, or even worse, when it is the title of a thread.

“So” bothers me too. I thought I was the only one. It expecially bugs me when I ask someone a question (usually technical in nature) and they start off saying “so, blah blah blah.” It’s irksome probably because any answer starting out with “so” is highly likely to be a long drawn out lecture that either I’m not really in the mood to listen to or contains superfluous information that I already know or is not necessary in answering my question.

So yeah, I agree with Malodorous in that it means “listen, I’m about to tell a story”. In any setting outside of answering a question that can be responded to succinctly, I’m fine with “so” as a preface. But don’t say “so,…” if I ask you a yes or no question or I’ll wanna fight ya.

It’s interesting that you mention this, because I’ve seen what seems to me to be an increase in people using “So” to preface a response to a question at academic conferences. Interestingly, to me, it seems to be more women than men who are doing this. Sometimes, it’s a way to lead into a reflection of the question to set the context for the answer, but not always.

No debate. Certainly not a Great Debate.

More an expression of a number Humble (and less Humble) opinions.

Off to IMHO.

Make it so,

Not just academia, but in business as well. I handle transcripts for investor calls for a significant number of corporations, and quite often during the Q&A session answers will begin with So. It’s an odd thing that’s really only begun to crop up within the last year or two, because I certainly never noticed it before then.