No Offense?

Has anybody ever said, "Uh, but, seriously dude. No offense. No offense man. No offense."

I mean, Come On.

First of all, if you're going to say something offensive, then it's offensive. That's that. You're going to be offensive.
If you don't want to be offensive,
DON'T BE!

The reaction I have is

A. The person is so nervous about being offensive when he actually isn't being offensive, that he sounds like he simply has no clue (And honestly probably doesn't. He should just shut up. And he should know that already)

B. The person is being offensive, and the "no offense" thing is a reflexive defensive statement, which is pathetic and, ultimately futile. If you say something offensive to me on purpose like that, saying "no offense" will not take anything back, nor will it prevent me from taking offense anyway.

The topic is actually a fairly serious question:

Can anybody think of a convincing scenario where the phrase "No Offense" can be used effectively?

Or is it just a dumbass statement that ought to be abolished from the language on pain of a good punch in the gut?

I would say that 90% of the time I say "No offense," it's after deliberately and obviously insulting one of my friends in a joking way and then adding to the joke in a hyperbolic manner. Otherwise, its only use is to soften the blow of a generalization that might not hold true in the case of a specific person who happens to be around when you make the statement.

If somebody were to say to me: “No offense, but you are a very smelly man!” I would take no offense from it, and maybe even go clean myself. But if that person was to say: “You are a very smelly man!” I would probably run (and get some rope so I can) tie that offensive fiend to some train tracks

Well, some people don't want others to be offended. Knowing that what they'll say will likely offend someone, saying no offense will let them know that they're about to say something offensive, whether they're offended or not. I usually just see it as a warning signal, like "Hey, I'm going to say something that may offend you."

People simply use it when saying something that could be taken offensively, though their intentions are not in the mode of offense. Rather, their motives are usually along the lines of attempting to remind or bring to attention a particular detail or situation.

Really, in essence, it's a method of saying something bluntly without being overly so.

I completely and utterly agree with you.

i never use it. if i am going to say something offensive, sometimes i'll say 'this is offensive, but...'

No Offense,

But you're in my way.

"No offense" is short for "I don't want to offend you, but I have to be honest." I can dig it.

No offence I tend to use at work rather infrequently but it does happen generally when I'm about to challenge someone for ID on alcohol or something I just say; "No offence and this is probably going to make me look stupid but it's the job, can I see some ID please?" that is a perfectly reasonable time to use that saying.

If I wanna offend someone it's easy I just tell them "I hate you, you suck monkeys"

Q-TIP, Martyr.

Quit
Taking
It
Personally

I lawl at people who say "no offense". its usually followed by an insult. Seriously go up to someone and say "Dont take offense to this, but youre a douchebag." I think theyre gonna take offense.

Some situations work. "No offense but I need to end our phone conversation now". In this case you're clearing up something that would seem offensive on the surface but in fact is not offensive if you look deeply enough; maybe you have a doctor's appointment, and you don't want the person to get the impression that you hate talking to them.

"No offense, but I think you're mistaken"; some people take offense at being wrong about things, but sometimes people are wrong by no fault of their own and it can pay to point it out as gently as possible.

But you can't just say "no offense" and then follow up with anything you want and expect it to be OK. "No offense, but you're a filthy hobo and you smell funny and I hope you die, you ugly pig-dog" just doesn't work. I have heard "no offense" used in this way many times.

Those Bears totally had no offense.

I often say "no offense" when following up a rather vile analogy where I use derogatory words to describe someone usually as a third person type of quote or as an explanation.

When someone in EoEo was mentioning some words for homosexuals I clarified with a list and made it clear that I meant no offense. The same is true any time I use the word nigger to make a point (i.e. If the man said, "You're a filthy nigger", you'd think he was a racist).

There are also a lot of situations where, like Shulp said, you have to be blunt and mostly it's just to reinforce that your comment, which will be interpreted offensively, is not a personal attack. I can attack your religion, but I may not mean a personal offense to you. I'm talking about your religion which only is indirectly related to you so it is not a personal attack.

Quote:

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(i.e. If the man said, "You're a filthy nigger", you'd think he was a racist).

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No offense, but I still like Kramer.

Over here in England, we have something even more annoying. When an insult gets thrown around, someone will say "Just joking!" afterwards. My stock response is "If I punched you, and then said that, would it be okay?"

As for "No offense", sometimes it's useful and valid to use, such as pointing something out that needs to be pointed out. On the other hand it can be used as above, where it becomes inane and possibly even MORE offensive.

No offense but I'm about to offend you.

The other one I like is 'I'm not being funny...'

I never say it. However if I were to ever say it, it would be in a mocking tone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShlupQuack

"No offense" is short for "I don't want to offend you, but I have to be honest." I can dig it.

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yeah what they said

I always say that. :p

Offence*

I don't use it and don't like when people use it with me, cause I am stright forward and would just spite what I think of at your face. Get away from me now.

No offence, but this thread is dumb. 24 posts in and nobody had said it. I am a lucky man.

I don't care if someone says no offence or not. If I think it's offensive (which isn't very likely, not much bothers me), I'll be offended.

smurf, i HATE it when peiple say thst to me. "No offence, man, no ofeence but you blah blah is :skull::skull::skull::skull:...is :skull::skull::skull::skull:..." go thell. if you want tocritizise, then say, "to be honest...", becaus rhrnem I'LL REPSETC YOU. you'r being honegst!!! and I'll like that. Honest y is good. =)n hhaha. But "no offence.." and people ahways sayit in a whinging gehingin way, and I ahet them for it.

I said "no offence" once. My neighbour said "I hear you lot are planning on building a wall separating our properties."


For those who don't understand...and those who do but just like highlighting SPOILERS anyway for whatever reasonNo offence = No, a fence.

Seriousness aside, I say it all the time. Sometimes people just need to be told that they're too big to fit through that gap, because otherwise they waste everyone's time.

I never say no offense. Reason being, anyone I like would know I like them, so they'd know if I said anything that did offend them, I wasn't intending to. They'd also know I'd never insult anybody underhandedly. If I was intending to insult them, I'd be very blatant about it. I understand why some people say no offense though. Instead of toning down what they're saying so it sounds less offensive, they'll just say no offense instead.

No off fence.

I'm a cat.

sup krissy?

meow meow

So true Martyr, screw you offence.

Sometimes "no offence" can be used to make sure the other person doesn't interpret what's being said as an offensive comment, but maybe a compliment. For example, when a girl tells a guy, "No offence, but since you clearly aren't interested in me, I feel quite safe talking with you since I don't have to worry about you trying anything on me." (someone actually said something like that to me once :D)

most people when they first meet me end up saying something with that term in it....lol

(SPOILER)No offense, but you're really short....O_O

When I was in primary school some kids would purposefully insult me and then say 'no offence' as if it was a decent enough apology in which I had no reason to retaliate because they "apologized" . To me 'no offence' it seems more hostile than it really is because of those prats