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To those who wish to banish an eminently useful phrase, consider the following sentences, both with and without it:
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. He liked dogs.
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. That said, he liked dogs.
Note the first couplet makes absolutely no sense, or seems to say that a liking for dogs makes one a psychopath. The second couplet balances one facet against the other in an understandable (if lame) way. NOW do you understand why "that said" is valuable?
To those who wish to banish an eminently useful phrase, consider the following sentences, both with and without it:
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. He liked dogs.
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. That said, he liked dogs.
Note the first couplet makes absolutely no sense, or seems to say that a liking for dogs makes one a psychopath. The second couplet balances one facet against the other in an understandable (if lame) way. NOW do you understand why "that said" is valuable?
Ahem...I don't think you are understanding. It is overly used, like never before and it is extremely annoying.
It is hardly surprising that I failed to comprehend; you didn't say anything about overuse in your post. You merely made a nonsensical comment about the writer having already said something.
In addition, I seldom see it used. There are plenty of other faddish, overused, cutesy phrases to bemoan. "That said" is not one of them.
I agree with everyone who thinks everyone else should STOP SAYING "that said" all the freaking time. It has become SOOO overused it IS becoming annoying. I even heard a new and more annoying version lately: "Notwithstanding having said that." Really? SHUT UP!
To those who wish to banish an eminently useful phrase, consider the following sentences, both with and without it:
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. He liked dogs.
Hitler was an infamous psychopath. That said, he liked dogs.
Note the first couplet makes absolutely no sense, or seems to say that a liking for dogs makes one a psychopath. The second couplet balances one facet against the other in an understandable (if lame) way. NOW do you understand why "that said" is valuable?
Any word or phrase can be valuable and in that case it is. But the point I think is that its overused. And there are other words which work too.
"However" in many cases is a good substitute. If your saying or writing something varity in your choice of words is good and keeps people from getting bored.
The extended version of "that said" seems to follow the trend for tecky talk and governmentese, where 6 words are better than one.
I'm sorry if the phrase bothers you more than "but" or "however" even those are used many times more often than "that said."
But, however, nonetheless and regardless, when I'm writing I'm not actually saying anything, so I may henceforth use the phrase "that written" instead. It's certainly not overused. Yet.
Stop saying "That said" when we know you already said something!!!!!
OR ... "With that said"
OR ... "Having said that"
Start your own language if standard English bothers you so much.
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