> I've got a friend who does this a lot. Apparently she uses it when she feels she needs to inform someone of something insulting, so she sticks the "no offense, but..." at the beginning. In some minds, I suppose, it indicates the speaker isn't purposely trying to insult the other, but let them know about an annoying personality trait or that they do look stupid. Before someone else actually insults them about it, I suppose...
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> LesiSputnik

Okay, I can understand that. But what's kind of happened to me is someone will be talking about someone completely different. Here's an example: "No offense, but his handwriting is as bad as yours." There's no real need to relate it to the person they're talking to; saying "his handwriting's really bad" would accomplish the same purpose.

Ga"Does this make sense? Am I the only one who has friends who do this (not very often, by the way)?"halia