There are many phrases or words in the English language which contain a deeper, underlying meaning than the words themselves may suggest. Some of these beg to have deeper meaning ascribed to them, such as “hope” or “change,” while others we may look upon just as curious mannerisms and not attribute any real meaning to them whatsoever. Yet, it could be said that if it is spoken then it has to have meaning and reflection on this meaning can be useful to understand exactly what is trying to be conveyed by the speech or even the disposition and character of the speaker themselves. Even in the case of “ums” or “ers,” the purpose remains clear: The brain is merely trying to give itself a few extra milliseconds in which to formulate thought and arrange it into a viable expression.
That being said, I would now like to reflect on the phrase, “I’m just sayin.” This phrase is used more abundantly than one may realize and could be easily passed off as one of those aforementioned curious mannerisms. Yet, in reality the profound meaning behind it is as deep and vast as the oceans. First, it is worthy to understand the placement of the term “I’m just sayin.” Grammatically it occurs most frequently at the beginning of a sentence or at the conclusion of it suggesting it relates to those intermediate words between the start and finish. When used at the beginning of a sentence it is usually for reasons of emphasis, while at the end it is used as a means of defense against any argument which may be brought up concerning those intermediate words or ideas. Yet, it could be reasonably concluded that if the phrase is uttered at all, then the defense is proposed upon all the ideas.
In order to properly extrapolate this point we are going to have to provide an example where this conclusion can easily be seen and reflected upon by the reader independent of the text. Therefore, let us suppose a conversation between two individuals engaged in discourse concerning a matter of important disagreement, such as their favorite kinds of cheese. For a moment, let us assume both parties articulate their arguments to such a degree that both sides appear equal and no conclusion can be reached concerning who is the victor. However, while in their discourse, the party which prefers Cheshire over Bougon begins to gain the upper hand by citing information like a lower fat content, that it comes from a cow rather than a goat, and texture. With every argument proposed, the Bougon fan begins to get wore down, his bias becoming more clear as logic and reason begin to show Cheshire is going to be victorious. Yet, it is not enough for Mr. Bougon to concede to Mr. Cheshire due to the strength of his bias, thereby he may start off a subsequent statement with, “Look, I’m just sayin…” or finalize an idea with “I’m just sayin.”
Within this illustration the meaning becomes apparently clear. In the context of argument it denotes a lack of real reasoning or logic. If one backs another party up into that proverbial corner by means of superior reasoning then he is more likely to encounter the phrase as uttered by the opposing party. In fact, it could be said that if it is uttered by one party then the adverse party has indeed been victorious in the argument by making the one who is weaker resort back unto his bias alone. Therefore, we see there is an intrinsic connexion between the defensive posture of “I’m just sayin,” and the admittance of an extreme difficulty in answering a charge.
So, with the cheese example we see Mr. Bougon still believes his cheese to be better, but has no evidence for this other than his bias produced by his own senses and not by reasoning of the mind. Despite the compound agreement of sense perception and reason expressed by the Cheshire fan, Mr. Bougon still remains upright in his defense of his cheese by uttering, “I’m just sayin.” Thus, Mr. Bougon feels vindicated in his belief by ascribing it only to himself, rather than a fact independent from the self. The purpose of this is to express a steadfastness concerning his immediate unshakable belief that Bougon is the better cheese, and by projecting the conclusion upon the self, this serves to negate any argument or further challenge of the conclusion. If this were to occur, then an endless repetition could be supposed of “I’m-just-sayins” to every argument or judgment.
As clear as this is by the example, we should revisit the instance of emphasis when used at the beginning of the phrase, for this shows us another use of the term. The term is employed as means of enumeration of various points or ideas. However, it is not admittedly as effective as the phrase, “Here’s the deal.” In short, the phrase is said for five reasons:
1. To assign conclusion to the self.
2. For emphasis.
3. For enumeration.
4. To negate contrary argument.
5. To assign conclusion to belief.
I’m just sayin . . .
I will just go ahead and resist making a "I'm just Super Sayin" joke.
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