Has the word “sorry” become too common in our everyday lives for it to mean anything anymore? Has “sorry” changed from an apology to a commonality? It seems that we, as a society, say “sorry” for things which we do not truly feel apologetic. However, as it has become so routine to use “sorry,” we will say it anyway. Sadly, our overuse of the once powerful word has led to its demise, rendering it near meaningless.
Although “I’m sorry” once was synonymous with “I apologize,” with the use of “sorry” for just about any small incident, the two phrases now have two distinct and different meanings. By the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition, “sorry” means feeling distress, especially through sympathy with someone else’s misfortune. Likewise, the same dictionary defines “apologize” as regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure. What strikes me is the word “distress” in sorry’s definition. If a student is one minute late to class and states, “I’m so, so sorry I’m late,” is that student truly feeling “distress” for his or her teacher’s “misfortune?” Likely not. Thus, if we use the word “sorry” when we don’t mean it, how does it come across when we truly are “sorry” for our actions? Many a time, if one says “sorry” to another, it’ll come off as if he or she does not really care about he did; he is simply trying to get the apology over with, fast. In contrast, “I apologize,” sounds, to most people, very legitimate, in terms of apologies, at least. Thus, it is our overuse of the word “sorry” that has given it its new connotation, thereby disassociating it with a true apology.
Is it pertinent to change this connotation back to the former? Does this mean I should stop using the word “sorry?” While it would be great if “sorry” meant what it denoted, as “apologize” does, it seems this change may not be entirely feasible. Now, I do not suggest we stop saying “sorry” for our actions, but I do feel that in the future, we can become increasingly cognizant about our word choice. As always, it is our choice to use “sorry” when it is not necessary that has changed its connotation. For example, if you forgot to return your friends pencil to him, does that truly merit an apology? No, probably not. Consciousness in word choice is necessary in those situations if we hope to eventually return “sorry” to its original connotation.
