"To Be Fair"

[edd_jedi]

Has anybody else noticed that everybody has started saying "to be fair" in every sentence? I can't remember exactly when it began, but I started noticing it a couple of months ago, and it has got to the point where every person I speak to says it and every post on the forum I read uses it! It's one of those contagious phrases people subconsciously pick up, and the problem is it's so meaningless and inoffensive that you can put it in front of virtually anything without anybody noticing.

To be fair, that was a good deal.
To be fair, he is a nice guy.
To be fair, I have bought a few MOCs this month.
To be fair, Chelsea are doing well this season.
To be fair, Christmas was two weeks ago.

It adds nothing to any of the above sentences, yet takes nothing away either so people don't notice it.

Please stop it everyone :lol:

 

[itfciain]

To be fair, I think it is a bit of a British thing - to be honest, we do like the lengthen the sentence as and when we can. In my opinion, we do like to let people down gently as well, so rather than getting, as it where, to the point, then we try to soften the blow

 

[Richard_H]

It's not said up here.

Probably a Southern softie thing

 

[bosk70]

About 10 years ago I noticed that a lot of people, mostly aged below 30, started beginning every spoken sentence with the word 'so', don't know where this habit came from, to be fair I don't remember 'so' being used to begin sentences at all in the 70's 80's 90's when you say so.... (then the quote). I'm no English expert and my grammar and spelling can be off at times, but this 'so' business is a mystery wonder where it originated from ???

 

[steve obi wan]

To be fair it's a good thread to be fair :lol: :lol:

 

[bosk70]

Also as mentioned by Ian about the lengthening of sentences, a few years ago, it seem that a lot of people at work, used to always say "at the end of the day when all's said and done", but this seems to have gone out of fashion now to be fair :wink:

 

[StarWarsFan]

Yer now that you mention it.

 

[indianawars]

'To be fair' doesn't really bother me, but the one that annoys me is when people say 'obviously' :evil:

 

[Michael Sith]

Language is a gift for all to use,
To express ourselves, but not to abuse,
To inform, entertain or spirits raise,
To make a point in a thousand ways,
Word and phrase that is used well,
Can stir the soul, for those crestfell,
So, to be fair, obviously, at the end of the day,
We all use words in our own special way :wink:

 

[Cazza]

'To be fair' is the new 'At the end of the day'. 'Absolutely' is another one...

 

[_Lee_]

It's not said up here.

Probably a Southern softie thing

:lol: You cant even speak English Rich :lol: (j/k)

As Iain said, its a British thing which is more commonly known as orthadox bullshit We do like to drag things out and exaggerate a little.

 

[stormcab]

Yeah probably thrown a few of those about....... to be fair

However, isn't a notch on the super hated "like". You hear some Americans and you want to reach out and staple their lips together. Even seemingly very educated ones are at it.

"like, I was like so like super annoyed that he was like super dumb, I mean, like, come on, like don't like even go there"

Oh, and adding "super" is a new one. Used to simply accentuate things - super-tough, super-easy, super-confident :evil:

 

[lejackal]

To be fair that doesn't really bother me :wink:

What really makes me want to shake someone and tell them to get a grip is people 30 plus and often in their forties using the term 'on fleek' with not the slightest drop of sarcasm or irony.

Maybe I'm just not down with the kids :lol:

 

[poncho]

i hate the work based word. 'it is what it is'

 

[Darth Bobby]

To be honest, I don't mind it.

 

[weasel]

I've always used TBF. I use it quite a bit. It's definitely not a new thing for me. Does that make me a trend setter!? 8)

Right with you on people starting sentences with "so." I have actually asked someone mid conversation if they could try starting a sentence without using "so," They just looked at me blankly.
It's right up there with 'innit' and two that seem popular over here 'like' and 'so it is.' :roll:
To me it just advertises the fact the person has a shite vocabulary.

 

[bosk70]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Language is a gift for all to use,
To express ourselves, but not to abuse,
To inform, entertain or spirits raise,
To make a point in a thousand ways,
Word and phrase that is used well,
Can stir the soul, for those crestfell,
So, to be fair, obviously, at the end of the day,
We all use words in our own special way :wink:

What about (you know what I mean)

 

[weasel]

You mean 'ya no wha a meen'! It's mainly used by footballers, the bulk of whom are barely educated neanderthals, like Wayne Rooney.

 

[x-pack]

At the end of the day, to be fair, I'm not being funny but ...sorry what was the question?

 

[Robstyley]

As you say Edd when people use these kind of phrases it's subconcious. It's a habit picked up and in the end they prob don't even realise they're doing it. I notice it when people are interviewed on TV. There was a lad, a swimmer I think being interviewed on Sports personality of the year and every sentence he said began with "you know". He must have said it 25 times in less than a minute. And on the football, footballers always constantly say "obviously" before everything which gets on my tits. "To be fair" is well overused and should only be used to justify something.