"I don't mean to interrupt..."
Sep. 29th, 2007 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yesthattomI’m really sick of people using the phrase, “I don’t mean to interrupt...” or “I don’t mean to change the subject but...”
The truth is, if you didn’t mean to interrupt, you’d wait. However, 99% of the time when I hear people begin with “I don’t mean to” they are perfectly justified.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but the room is on fire.”
Sounds reasonable to me!!! How about this instead, “Sorry for interrupting, but the room is on fire.” Or “Sorry for changing the subject but...”
Those should be just as socially acceptable. If not more.
(P.S. No, the room wasn’t on fire. I just can’t think of a better example.)
The truth is, if you didn’t mean to interrupt, you’d wait. However, 99% of the time when I hear people begin with “I don’t mean to” they are perfectly justified.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but the room is on fire.”
Sounds reasonable to me!!! How about this instead, “Sorry for interrupting, but the room is on fire.” Or “Sorry for changing the subject but...”
Those should be just as socially acceptable. If not more.
(P.S. No, the room wasn’t on fire. I just can’t think of a better example.)
