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OK, this is completely off topic, but this sentence start from the article jumped out at me: It’s honestly a good question to ask Why is it that so many peopl

OK, this is completely off topic, but this sentence start from the article jumped out at me: It’s honestly a good question to ask Why is it that so many people now start sentences with some variation of "honestly"? I see it in comments here on HN all the time, and in lots of tech blog posts. Is there a new paper out on how this is effective rhetoric? Is it a regional tick I haven't figured out yet? Honestly, I find it depressing that so many people feel the need to preface what they are saying with a declaration that they are not, in fact, lying to us.

abiox 11y ago
are many people really doing that? honestly, perhaps it's some cognitive bias or frequency illusion.
- carsongross 11y ago
  To be honest, I can't tell. Maybe it's just me, honestly.
danieltillett 11y ago
I have always thought this was code for “I was previously lying to you, but now I am telling you the truth”. I think not.
hamburglar 11y ago
I have seen this specific complaint on HN several times lately. It's a figure of speech. It means "frankly." Your refusal to pick up on English language idioms -- illogical as they may be -- is, frankly, not interesting. Can we stop?
- TelmoMenezes 11y ago
  There's a fine line between idiom and annoying cliché. "Can we stop doing X" is another one.
anon4 11y ago
It's a verbal tick, a meaningless bit at the start of the sentence because the person feels uncomfortable starting the sentence right off and wants a bit of lead-in, or as a short pause for rhythm. Same thing with "basically" - I've seen people start basically every single sentence with "basically" when they're even a bit stressed.
mbrock 11y ago
Interestingly, I'm a big fan of the word "interestingly" to start a sentence. It makes sure people understand that what I say is quite fascinating.
reality_czech 11y ago
"Honestly" is used to add emphasis, to convey a sense of frankness and immediacy, and sometimes to suggest that the writer finds the statement to be an unpleasant but necessary truth. I think it's likely that you know all this already and are indulging in a bit of feigned surprise.
SmellyGeekBoy 11y ago
Perhaps it's the new "literally" ?
Can_Not 11y ago
You may find this simularity in the word "just". "Let's stop overusing the word honestly." => "Honestly, let's just stop overusing the word honestly." What is the purpose of "just" in the sentence? Is it a specifier of motivation? Was the task more complicated or difficult to grasp in a previous context? Could we just have a reason for it?

abiox 11y ago

are many people really doing that? honestly, perhaps it's some cognitive bias or frequency illusion.

carsongross 11y ago
To be honest, I can't tell. Maybe it's just me, honestly.

danieltillett 11y ago

I have always thought this was code for “I was previously lying to you, but now I am telling you the truth”. I think not.

hamburglar 11y ago

I have seen this specific complaint on HN several times lately. It's a figure of speech. It means "frankly." Your refusal to pick up on English language idioms -- illogical as they may be -- is, frankly, not interesting. Can we stop?

TelmoMenezes 11y ago
There's a fine line between idiom and annoying cliché. "Can we stop doing X" is another one.

anon4 11y ago

It's a verbal tick, a meaningless bit at the start of the sentence because the person feels uncomfortable starting the sentence right off and wants a bit of lead-in, or as a short pause for rhythm. Same thing with "basically" - I've seen people start basically every single sentence with "basically" when they're even a bit stressed.

mbrock 11y ago

Interestingly, I'm a big fan of the word "interestingly" to start a sentence. It makes sure people understand that what I say is quite fascinating.

reality_czech 11y ago

"Honestly" is used to add emphasis, to convey a sense of frankness and immediacy, and sometimes to suggest that the writer finds the statement to be an unpleasant but necessary truth. I think it's likely that you know all this already and are indulging in a bit of feigned surprise.

SmellyGeekBoy 11y ago

Perhaps it's the new "literally" ?

Can_Not 11y ago

You may find this simularity in the word "just". "Let's stop overusing the word honestly." => "Honestly, let's just stop overusing the word honestly." What is the purpose of "just" in the sentence? Is it a specifier of motivation? Was the task more complicated or difficult to grasp in a previous context? Could we just have a reason for it?