Why do people say....

[Bunkermagnet]

..." to be honest with you..."

Why would you not be anything but?

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

To be honest with you... I don't know

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What I can say is that - to be fair - I don't know either

 

[MegaSteve]

Probably because it would be easier to tell a little 'white lie'...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Emphasises that they are absolutely telling the truth.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Emphasises that they are absolutely telling the truth.

In a way that 'to be clear...' doesn't?

 

[Tashyboy]

Round our way it may also mean " you dont wanna hear this but ". Probably coming from a true friend who is trying to tell you what you should hear and not what you want to hear.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

In a way that 'to be clear...' doesn't?

That may have slipped under the radar

 

[SatchFan]

My ex mother-in-law was quite fond of a little white lie, or as I prefer to call them, big, fat, ugly ones - a bit like the woman herself.

 

[bobmac]

Why do people say...........
I personally
Raise up
Pan fried
Oven roasted
Reverse backwards
etc

 

[SocketRocket]

..." to be honest with you..."

Why would you not be anything but?

I literally don't know.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

In a way that 'to be clear...' doesn't?

Same meaning, different way of saying it. I tend to think "to be clear" sounds patronising.

I'm not saying I use either phrase but that is how I take them when I hear them being used.

 

[User62651]

For the same reasons they say "I'm not being funny but...." which means I'm going to say something controversial but I've put in mitigating words to make it seem less controversial.

I knew a fellow who put the world 'basically' into what seemed like every sentence, wanted to yell at him to stop, but being British I just politely tolerated it whilst fuming inside!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

"He turned round and said......." then "She turned round and said....."

I have visions of people spinning round on the spot

 

[Beedee]

"with respect" meaning "you're talking tripe"

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Same meaning, different way of saying it. I tend to think "to be clear" sounds patronising.

I'm not saying I use either phrase but that is how I take them when I hear them being used.

Yes indeed - as if to say -'you are clearly not that intelligent as you seem unable to understand what I am telling you - that being something that I think is straightforward, obvious, and how could you not get that'

 

[williamalex1]

yes indeed - as if to say -'you are clearly not that intelligent as you seem unable to understand what i am telling you - that being something that i think is straightforward, obvious, and how could you not get that'

Really, is another one :d

 

[SocketRocket]

Really, is another one :d

Obviously!

 

[williamalex1]

Obviously!

After having elocution lessons i started saying " really ", before that i would have told you to F,OFF.

 

[Norrin Radd]

After having elocution lessons i started saying " really ", before that i would have told you to F,OFF.

thats nice