To be honest with you......

[Marijn]

"To be honest......." When I hear peole say this, it is usually followed by a lie. Also when people say "No, not really", I can hear a touch of indecision in their voice, so when I press them on it, it's usually "Yes", the next time. Also when people say "I'm not racist/sexist but.....". It usually means they ARE.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Or does anyone know of any other phrases that usually precede a lie?

[Marijn]

Wildwood, are those signs of lying?

[wildwood]

Well, their integrity of the verbal prattle certainly needs questioning if this a repeated action while their mouth is moving. lol

[andy-hughes]

Indeed, when people preceede a remark with those cliches, you know that it usually means the opposite.

My pet hate is when people preface an opinion with "Sorry but ..."

Why be sorry? If you think your opinion needs an apology before you voice it, maybe you;d be better keeping quiet in the first place.

Oh, and the respect thing has a relativity clause built in - when someone starts something with "With the greatest respect .." you might as well bend over and brace yourself, because you sure have got it coming ...!

Finally, the hallmark of the truly stratospherically arrogant, is prefacing a remark with "Can I just say ..."

Used habitually by Margaret Thatcher, but I'm sure that's just coincidence ...

[Marijn]

You're right andy. I was wrong about the "to be honest" one, cos I used that phrase on Friday when I was saying something honest, so ignore that one as a lie indicator.

[MarkRae]

> My pet hate is when people preface an opinion with "Sorry but ..."

> Why be sorry? If you think your opinion needs an apology before you voice it, maybe
> you;d be better keeping quiet in the first place.

I could not agree more.

Another one which I've never understood is "Well, it's a bit before my time...", as if it's not possible to know things which happened before you were born...

[Marijn]

Along those lines Mark Rae, when people say "in my day we used to. . . ". It still is their day. When did it stop being their day?

[MarkRae]

When they stopped being young.

[Marijn]

When does someone stop being young? Obviously, it happens. But when? And why is it nor their day anymore when they're no longer young. I'm having my day :-)

[andy-hughes]

I guess I am physically no longer 'young' - but in my head I am still about nineteen.

So, I never say 'In my day ...' because today is my day, and I'm banking on tomorrow being my day as well!

[Marijn]

Good for you Andy. Me too :-)