This completely ignores the fact that the word "Sorry" is not always an apology. "Sorry your dog died." is an expression of _sympathy_ for your dog's death, no

This completely ignores the fact that the word "Sorry" is not always an apology. "Sorry your dog died." is an expression of _sympathy_ for your dog's death, not an admission of guilt. In fact, the first definition on Google for "define sorry" is "feeling sad or distressed through sympathy with someone else's misfortune" And yes, I'd be more likely to lend my phone to someone who had shown signs of sympathy to me first.