Look, The New Buzzword

[grumpy01]

Don’t know if it’s my imagination or I hadn’t noticed before but now a lot of political interviewees seem to start their reply with the word Look.It’s almost as if they are treating the interviewer with contempt.

[emmie]

somewhat better than "Like" which seems to pervade society at large, it's an irritant. But i do see what you mean,

[grumpy01]

Like is a word which seems to be used by younger people in their conversations.

[emmie]

every other word or so it seems, but it's catching on with the adults, ughh

[bhg481]

It's just a variation on "So".

[emmie]

sounds rather rude to be honest, i wouldn't use it

[douglas9401]

It started years ago but, as with all fashion it faded from use but has made a comeback.

The inept and unemployable may imagine it gives them an air of authority as they steer the good ship Britain onto the rocks.

[ChillDoubt]

As Douglas says, started years ago.

I first noticed it being used frequently by Aussie cricketers, generally prefaced with ‘Aw’ (as in “Aw look....”) when answering any question posed by journalists.

[1ozzy]

It could be "look", "so", "guess what", "think about" or any other combination of words.
What do you think they should reply with Grumpy01?
Help the political interviewees in their moment of trauma whilst they have a microphone and camera shoved in their face by a large team of professional reporters wishing to bring them down so that team can show just how professional they are.

[Barsel]

It's a word Robert Peston uses a lot when he starts to answer a question.

[douglas9401]

Aye, poor wee souls these politicians, having to answer for the shambles they create as the count off the days to a seat on a board or two and their gold-plated pension.

Nasty journalists, asking why it all goes so wrong and getting a stroppy answer from collective uselessness.

[grumpy01]

Surely 1ozzy they should have enough command of the Queen's English to be able to hold a conversation without all these words having to be used on a regular basis.Also,it's not when they're "having a microphone shoved under their noses" it's inone to one interviews on news programmes and the like.

[Bazile]

'Going forward ' I think we should jail all those who use that word on that way

Arrgh - 'look ' what you have gone and done - you have made me use that horrid expression - 'going forward ' !!!!

[ToraToraTora]

almost as bad as starting all replies with "So...."

[gingejbee]

Anyone who had a command of the Queen's English would write "one-to-one", with all-important hyphens.

[Spicerack]

Hardly all important.

[Barsel]

TTT it's the question that begins w

[gingejbee]

spice.....correct. It's "all-important" in my reply.

[douglas9401]

Someone will be along shortly to advise starting your own thread if you want to discuss hyphens and other dash-related marks.

We don't want any derailing here. :-)

[Barsel]

TTT it's the question that begins with 'So' and the answer begins 'Look' or 'Now look'.

[andy-hughes]

I think prefacing a response with 'Look ...' sounds like a shortened version of 'Now look here ... ' which is hectoring and arrogant. I would never say it, and I don't like it said to me.