I'm sorry but, I don't understand why people say "I'm sorry but" before making a statement!

[ohiosmith]

[geardaddy]

1. Me either.

It's like "I'm not trying to be an asshole, but..."

[dawg]

2. I'm sorry, but ... your post is stupid!

Just kidding.

I think they do it as an attempt to soften the blow of whatever unpleasant thing it is they are about to say.

[Ptah]

3. Who's Sorry Now?

[dawg]

4. Also, this goes hand in hand with ...

I'm not a racist, but ...

[rrneck]

5. Some call it bullshit. nt

[LynneSin]

9. Kinda like Faux News when they say 'Some people say....'

Like 'Some people say that Romney is going to win this election'

WHO?

[RevStPatrick]

6. It's a figure of speech.

People use lots of figures of speech that are meaningless.
Language is very imprecise the way most people use it.
The word-wars here on DU are indicative of that.
Some people are sloppy with their use of language, some people want to ban certain language, some people speak in cliches, some people are precise to the point of being annoying.

It's all good...

[bluedigger]

7. I had a coworker who said it reflexively.

It was almost comical. I stepped on her foot once, and before I could react and apologize she said, "I'm sorry!"

[LynneSin]

8. I'm sorry but if i have to explain why you'd just be confused

[Enrique]

10. i used to work with someone that always started his sentences with "Again, ..."

even though he hadn't said it before.

Again, I realize this has nothing to do with your OP.

[nolabear]

11. Welcome to Passive Aggressive World.

"I'm about to say something that will piss you off but I don't want you to jump on me, which you probably will anyway because your kind is always mean to nice people like me, asshole."

[MiddleFingerMom]

12. If you had only prefaced YOUR statement with "I'm sorry but..."

.
.
.
... I wouldn't be thinkin' "You're not a very nice Bozo on this bus" right now.
.

.
.
.
It's NOT a null statement. It's a tactic used to give the speaker the impression
that if the listener objects, HE/SHE is being ungracious/unkind because the
speaker has "ALREADY APOLOGIZED! WHAT PART OF 'i'M SORRY" DID YOU MISS?"
.
.
.

[Bucky]

15. *applauds slowly and methodically with cigarette dangling from lip*

Brah-veaux, old sport. Brah-veaux.

[Bucky]

13. I hate to break it to you, however many DUers post cliches.

Properly speaking, the "but" goes after the comma, not before.

[datasuspect]

14. you said butt

[Enrique]

16. proper comma placement is important with the word but

for example, "I do respect her, but.."

[madinmaryland]

17. I'm sorry, but Please Proceed, ohiosmith.

[etherealtruth]

18. I liken it to "bless his heart" ...

... following a negative statement.