"so to speak"

abc   Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:47 am GMT
What does it mean? (If you're gonna ask me to look it up in a dictionary then you must LEAVE this thread right now :( )
Uriel   Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:59 pm GMT
In other words; in so many words -- it's used when you want to clarify what you've said with an alternate definition, or you're using a tongue-in-cheek euphemism, that kind of thing.
abc   Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:53 pm GMT
thanx Uriel. Helpful as always
M56   Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:11 pm GMT
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 3:09 pm GMT
Uriel (or anybody),

Could you give some example sentences for "so to speak" to clarify this :

<<In other words; in so many words -- it's used when you want to clarify what you've said with an alternate definition, or you're using a tongue-in-cheek euphemism, that kind of thing. >>

I need to learn that "so to speak" phrase.

Thanks.
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 4:21 pm GMT
HELLO.............ANYBODY HOME?
Ben   Thu May 04, 2006 5:06 pm GMT
Hmm, I thought I knew what this meant but I'm having trouble coming up with some good example sentences. It's something you'd use if you were introducing a novel metaphor or something which isn't quite "correct" English. One example I found online is:

"It was like a tempest in a teapot, so to speak".

Sorry I can't help more. It's really not that useful of a phrase anyway, so don't feel bad!
Jim C, Jorvikskyr   Thu May 04, 2006 5:13 pm GMT
Give me a rude topic, and I'll think one up for you...
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 5:20 pm GMT
Jim C, Jorvikskyr ,

How about this topic then:

"One in THREE new fathers have tried their partners breast milk"

I hope it's rude enough.
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 5:30 pm GMT
Ben,

Sure, it's no big deal if I didn't know what "so to speak" really meant. But when you've heard others used it in speaking and writing over and over again, you get frustrated if you had only the slightest idea of what it actually means. And thus you're intimidated.

I don't use the phrase. But others do. So I still need to know what they're really saying when they use that phrase.
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 5:38 pm GMT
Jim C, Jorvikskyr ,


Sorry. forget about the topic "One in THREE new fathers have tried their partners breast milk".

It's way too rude to guys.

So sorry. I'll think of another topic.
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 5:48 pm GMT
Jim C, Jorvikskyr ,

What about BUSHISM?
Found some in a web site:

"I aim to be a competitive nation." —George W. Bush, San Jose, Calif., April 21, 2006


If the Iranians were to have a nuclear weapon they could proliferate." —George W. Bush, Washington D.C., March 21, 2006
Ben   Thu May 04, 2006 5:58 pm GMT
Well, what I meant is that it doesn't add much to the existing meaning, so you're not really losing anything if you just ignore it.
Mandy Lee   Thu May 04, 2006 6:19 pm GMT
Thank you for helping, Ben, though I'd still love to see more examples.
Damian in Edinburgh   Thu May 04, 2006 6:36 pm GMT
Although commonly...or maybe not so commonly used, I'm not really sure....it IS a wee bit more difficult to put into words what this phrase really and truly means....tying to define it is a pain in the a*se...so to speak. Anyway, here is a link which may shed some light, so to speak:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/1522.html