Would you like to use a phrase that implies something goes on further than the discussion allows for, much like the use of 'et cetera' does? The saying 'and so on' is common in the English language. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and common use of the phrase.
Meaning
The phrase 'and so on' is a common figurative saying in the English language.
'And so on' is a saying that is used to imply that something goes on further than the discussion or context allows for.
Sometimes the phrase 'and so on' is used to imply that the second speaker already knows what is meant by 'and so on'.
Common use of 'and so on' can be a more informal means to use the phrase 'et cetera' in conversation, which would imply the same.
Use of 'and so on' can be either serious or sarcastic.
'And so on...' can be used to denote that one speaker finds another tedious or boring when the phrase is used with sarcastic meaning.
The context of 'and so on' is usually said or implied by the rest of the discussion.
The phrase 'and so on' is almost never used in the denial form, as the phrase it renders would have no meaning.
The phrase implies (and is sometimes said as) 'and so on, and so forth'.
The phrase 'full stop' can be used to imply the opposite.
Example Usage
“There was almost everything on the pizza that you could imagine to have. Olives, cheese, pepperoni, more cheese, and so on.”
“They had almost every book in the library that you could want to read. War & Peace, Stephen King, and so on.”
“They just kept on talking and talking. I mean, after the third cousin, who's keep track? It's just Judith and Louise and so on.”
“You'll just have to buy the eggs, the flour, and so on.”
Origin
Most language resources are not in agreement about the origin and first use of the phrase 'and so on', though the phrase was in common use as a saying in English by the 1800s.
Some language resources list the phrase 'the more is the pity' alongside the saying, including the Oxford English Dictionary. This is likely to have been an earlier phrase with a similar meaning, which was later taken over by the more popular saying 'and so on'.
Modern use of the phrase can indicate serious or sarcastic meaning, though original use of the phrase was more than likely intially serious.
The website Urban Dictionary lists the saying from 2012, even though much earlier use of the saying is apparent.
Phrases Similar to And So On
- Et cetera
Phrases Opposite to And So On
- Full stop
What is the Correct Saying?
- And so on
Ways People May Say And So On Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'and so on' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the phrase.
The phrase 'and so on' can sometimes be spelled in the wrong way as 'and so-on', or as 'and soon' which would both render incorrect phrases.
When used, the phrase implies continuation of the stated topic (much like 'et cetera'), though it can be difficult to translate or be understood wrong by its audience.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase And So On
There are several correct ways to use the phrase 'and so on' in conversation.
The phrase implies the longer saying 'and so on, and so forth' though this is rarely used as the entire phrase. The abbreviated, shorted phrase is enough to imply its meaning.
The saying implies that something continues beyond the conversation's scope, or that the audience already knows what follows in what is being said.