Anyways: What does that really mean?

Anyway or Anyways

What does that mean?

When you hear that word from a speaker what happens in your mind?

It might create a disconnection between the speaker and the listener. When I hear either of those words my head snaps back to listen for the change of thought. In other words, what was said before that word was irrelevant to what follows.

That suggests that this is a disjointed presentation or conversation. Perhaps the speaker got lost in thought and took us down the wrong path. Now, he’s trying to get back on track with the expression “anyways”.

Where do these words really belong?

We’ll get there any way we can. We’ll do what ever we need to. That might be reminiscent of Hannibal crossing the Alps with his war elephants.

But the expression, anyway or anyways is a dismissal of previous words.

It implies, “Ignore what was said earlier; what I really mean is…”

The speaker wants you to forget the words that were said earlier.

Does that mean those words were a lie, a lost tangent or a waste of time?


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