"I don't mean to interrupt..."

[yesthattom]

I’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.)

Comments

[sachmet.livejournal.com]

You should cross-post that to stopsayingthat.

[edhorch.livejournal.com]

My pet peeve:

"Quick question..."

Bet it doesn't have a quick answer!

[vees.livejournal.com]

Pardon the interruption, but there's a hornet on your neck.

[awfief.livejournal.com]

See, I don't like the "I'm sorry for interrupting...." either. And for similar reasons. If you were *really* sorry, you probably wouldn't be interrupting me -- again, there are exceptions.

Of course, "I don't mean to interrupt" begs the response "then why are you interrupting?" It's illogical to say "I'm about to do something I don't intend to...."

I think "Pardon the interruption" is best -- "please forgive me for the interruption" is another. It sets the mood of things. You're interrupting me, remember?

Then again, most people use these interchangeably, and sincerity is the key.

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

I think I love you.

Can I add my personal favorite?

"I don't mean to be rude, but..."

well, then don't be rude. see? it's actually easy when you think it through.

[nooks.livejournal.com]

Why must every utterance be literally true?

[awfief.livejournal.com]

I'd settle for figuratively true.

(sorry, couldn't resist).

I tend to analyze these things, because I'm a very detail oriented person. Painstaking attention to detail and thinking about this kind of stuff makes me good as a Database Administrator (and made me good as a System Administrator).

I'll also note that these things only actually get to me when they're said by someone who doesn't really mean it. I don't even start to think about it until I'm annoyed by a person using it. So really, I'm taking my annoyance out on the turn of phrase.

Of course, that could have just been rhetorical, and if so, know I'm not being defensive, just explanatory.

[bridgetminerva.livejournal.com]

How about "Pardon the interruption" This to me says "I know I'm bothering you but I think it is important enough to disrupt you." Also I am saying pardon the act of interruption rather then me.

As oppose to "I'm sorry for interruption" Which to me says the speaker regrets deeply to the point of sorrow (ie pet died) for bothering you.

But I also despise "Mean to interrupt" Yes you do because your doing it. Get a dictionary.

Then again I have a huge ego. So of course I wont ask to be pardon for telling you about the rapid heat influx.

[pure-agnostic.livejournal.com]

I have noticed that when people say "I don’t mean to interrupt...", what they usually mean is something akin to "I need to interrupt because I want to urgently say something important." Or as an attempt to get the attention of those participating in a conversation. I see that as a simple acknowledgment to whomever else was already speaking, and the intent is not to just blurt something out and disrupt the conversation.

Two examples from real life:
Person comes into a gathering of conversationalists to announce dinner. "Excuse me for interrupting, but I'd like to point out that dinner awaits you on the table."
or:
Me noticing a spider has landed on somebody and interrupting that person: "Uh, excuse me, but I just saw a small spider land on your shoulder and crawl under your collar." ... moments later ... "Sorry about that interrupting. Now what were you saying?"

I understand you're sick of certain phrasings, but I see them as polite alternatives to other options. I'd much prefer somebody say something like "I don’t mean to interrupt, but..." or "Sorry for interrupting, but ..." than to just cut off the speaker in midsentence and interject their own words into the conversation.

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

I think that convoluted construction is in use because we can't get away with "Pip pip, wot, old chap, I say, wot, but the room, you see, is on fire, wot, old chap?" any more. Not since that little spat over tea taxes and the like.

I otherwise agree with the supports of some sort of "Please pardon the interruption . . ." construction.

[tactisle.livejournal.com]

Would you really rather have someone come up to you and start with, "I hope you'll agree that my interruption here is justified when I say..."?

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Not ever uterance needs to be literally true. However lately people have been wasting time at meetings saying, "I don't mean to interrupt... well, actually I do mean to interrupt..." and then 5 minutes later someone else says, "I don't mean to interrupt, but actually I guess I am interrupting..." it has become a distraction at one meeting I attend.

Oddly enough, it is the non-technical people that are doing that. I wonder if they are trying to show that they can be as pedantic and literal as the technical people they work with. :-)