I hear this a lot: ending a sentence with “so.” I’m willing to bet you’ve heard co-workers and friends say this, too. But, what does it mean when someone ends a sentence with a “dangling so?”
According to an article in The Atlantic, the “dangling so” (also known as the “trailing so” or “turn-final so”) originated on SNL, in an episode where LeBron James stood behind a podium and announced, “I was the youngest player in the NBA to score 1,000 points in one season.” Kristin Wiig’s character saddled up beside him and said, “I was the youngest player in the NBA, too, so…” followed by “I was eleven-and-a-half and I scored 10,000 points in one game, so…”
And the “dangling so” was born.
I think most of us understood the point of the skit: to one-up the other person by saying outrageous exaggerations and outright lies. In this instance, Kristen Wiig’s character was implying, “I’m better than LeBron James.”
Since then, the “dangling so” seems to have taken on a life of its own. Most everyone is using it, and not sarcastically, not to be funny or for effect. When someone simply ends a sentence with a “dangling so,” it’s not funny. It’s simply incorrect. And here’s why…
When you incorporate improper grammar into your everyday speech patterns, it’s easier to use this language when speaking to a group of people or giving a presentation. The end of a sentence is not a natural place to drop in a “so” without completing the thought because “so” is a conjunction. Conjunctions join two clauses or ideas together. Therefore, when someone ends a sentence with “so,” it’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s a “so what?” moment.
When ending a sentence with “so” you’re essentially expecting the listener to draw his own conclusion or infer what you mean. Communications becomes muddy. It would be simpler, clearer and more concise to finish your sentence instead.
You can read more about the “dangling so” in The Atlantic.
