Dabo Li
It has become trendy to express one’s thoughts with the banal phrase “I find it interesting that,” but such redundant throat-clearings compromise the quality of intellectual discussions and invite unnecessary confusion.
This is not to say that popular turns of phrase like this should be made taboo. “I find it interesting (IFII)” may well retain its diplomatic usefulness in contexts where no serious intellectual engagement is required. One should also be entitled to employ this pet phrase by promptly expanding on how the interest is stimulated.
It is the frequency and casualness with which “IFII” is being trotted out in discussion seminars that makes its abandonment an intellectual urgency. “IFII” has no substance and assumes no meaning. Recall the instances in which it is used, and you will realize that it is a telling sign that the speaker lacks command of the materials under discussion. “IFII” carries hesitations and uncertainties that also undercut the conviction and authority of the speaker. It embarrasses the richness of the English language. Often intent on not passing up judgment, it is an expression of intellectual laziness.
Because “IFII” can and does disguise one’s actual judgment, it necessarily creates ambiguity and confusion. The sentence “I find your thesis interesting” sends listeners into epileptic fits. How are they supposed to interpret the statement? For some, it is akin to hearing “I am impressed by the originality and/or unorthodoxy of your thinking.” For others, it amounts to “I disagree but want to avoid criticizing your view.” Rather than unabashedly articulating one’s views, by hedging on the vocabulary, the speaker fails to get his message across and leaves his interlocutors nonplussed.
So what can be done to address such sloppiness in vocabulary? For a start, faculty themselves should refrain from using untidy expressions of this sort to avoid miscommunication. While no student should be penalized for using “IFII,” more conversational pressure should be applied to ensure substantive comments are made and linguistic accessories jettisoned.