So...

I have noticed that I have a habit of ending sentences with "so...". An example would be: "I am going to leave at 11:00 pm, so..." I have studied linguistics for a few years, but I have yet to determine if this is a regional quirk or rather a feature of informal North American English in general. Does anyone else do this? Where does it originate?

I also end certain sentences with "then". As in, "I will be there in a few minutes, then." There are other examples, but I seem to use this in casual conversation when I am less conscious about what I am saying. I have been told that this feature is most common in North Central American English. Is it used frequently anywhere else in the English speaking world?

I don't use it....

Ending a sentence with 'so...' could be interpreted as a generalise lack of confidence in what the speaker is saying. Trailing off the sentence without a definitive end subconsciously leaves it open to continuation, either by the original speaker or by a second speaker.

'so' used in that way can also suggests something which the listener is supposed to 'get'... it's implied and follows from what the speaker said, often it's stuff which might sound harsh if you just said it right out, eg

"I've got an exam tomorrow, so... [time for us to end this conversation so I can go home]"

"I got that maths question wrong"
"Well, you're an engineer, so.. [that's hardly surprising]"

I am a non-native speaker and I tend to use English that way too. I realize I use "then" a lot, and "so", which along with "anyway" are my most overused words.

"So, anyway, I'll try to practice spoken English a little more then. Anyway, I hope I'll improve soon, even though I don't have no one to talk with... so... yeah, whatever."

I've probably picked up that way of speaking from somewhere/someone, so I believe it's a feature of informal English (used by young speakers).

<<...even though I don't have no one to talk with....>>
LOL, that was a double negative, written by accident. I don't usually use double negatives, unless I want to or I am also using "ain't" together. :-)

It drives me nuts when people end their sentences with so...

"So," in my opinion, is used significantly more by women then men. Whenever I hear it, I wait for whoever is speaking to finish their sentence and one never comes... It's like a song that ends on a suspended chord... resolve it!!! lol

I need speak english, because I'm........

I need speak english, call me at +213775759379.