Sorry
|
Oct 11, 2006
|
Sorry is one of those words that's really easy to say without meaning. Let me clarify before I gain a whole army of enemies: When you say, "I'm sorry I did this" or "Sorry this happened", those words are usually sincere. Sorry in that sense is an honest confession of wrongdoing or a heartfelt expression of sympathy. However, there's an entirely different use of the word that often occurs as a pattern of social interaction. People say, "Sorry to interrupt, but..." That's not a real "sorry". It's more of a "sorry if you're offended by my actions" and less of a "sorry I'm doing this". Another example is, "Sorry I just cut you off, but no one else would let me out." You're not really sorry for cutting the person off; you're just sorry that they were the recipient of your apparently offensive action.
I notice this word being misused all the time. So I would suggest inventing a new word or phrase to replace the old, borderline meaningless one. Instead of saying sorry when you really mean it, use the phrase "truly sorry" or "honestly remorseful". It adds a little more meaning when you actually mean it. But for all those other circumstances where you're just saying it to say it, continue abusing the word into disuse. #psychology
|
|