Innasense

What’s the point of having your own blog if you can’t occasionally share a good old rant?

I’ve noticed recently that educated people speaking extemporaneously in public often randomly pepper their discourse with the term, “innasense”.

I have had two theories as to how this term came about.

The first theory was that these people enjoyed watching Ali G and therefore they really wanted to say “innit” but felt that their audience would disapprove, so they replaced it with their own version: “innasense”. But I have abandoned this theory.

My second, preferred, theory is that “innasense” was originally a codeword with a specific meaning. It either meant:

Please realise that I know that reality is multifaceted and quite complicated. I am also quite well aware that what I am about to say or have just said is only true from a certain perspective. I’m tired of people taking my statements out of context and assuming that what I have just said / am about to say about a specific subject is universally valid for all places and all times without exception or qualification. This is not true in this instance. Please just listen to what I have to say in its context.

Or, for others, it meant:

I am not one of those raving loonies who believe in absolute truth. Just thought I’d remind you.

Now, however, through constant usage, it seems that the original meaning of the term has eroded so that “innasense” now mostly just means:

Um

Now, don’t get me started on “To be honest”.