Feb 11, 2010
Let Me Be Honest with You
By Timothy R. Butler | Posted at 23:12:14
Jason writes,
“… and if you want to know the truth…”
Really? If I want to? What am I going to say?
“No, I’ve had my fill of truth today. Why don’t you spin me a tall tale.”
The proper literary phrase is, “Truth be told…” I agree with Jason some popular figures of speech are wrong, and each contributes to some incremental loss of a good thing.
This is one phrase I actively work to avoid in my own language (in any of its varied forms). The truth is (Ha!), announcing that what I'm about to speak is “truth” seems to suggest everything I said previously was something other than truth.