Is it correct to use "too" to start a sentence?

[hill roberts]

Many years ago, the Philippine Embassy sent me old journals
and magazines published in the Philippines. As I leafed through
one of the magazines, I read a very interesting article about
the 10-point agenda of  former president Fidel Ramos.
What I was amazed about was the construction of the point-by-
point agenda that started with the adverb "too".
Here's a loose sentence or two starting with the adverb, "too".
1."Too, the president also has made sure..."
2."Too, this agenda will be..."
Using this adverb to start a sentence seems common among
Filipino jouralists. This really must be in the watch list of
no-no-no, don't you think?

[hill roberts]

My husband and I just finished having breakfast and as usual, we listened to the BBC
morning radio show, "The Today Programme". One of the presenters was interviewing
Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK Business Secretary. Time and again, I hear him use
the double comparative adjective:
"Oh, yes, indeed...it is more nicer to have..."
BBC presenters and reporters are guilty of this nowadays. It is a shame how the  standard
of grammar has gone down. Although we live in Spain, because of modern technology
we are able to get BBC, Sky etc  in seconds, as you guys do over there.
Yes, Joe, "My Media English Watch" is extremely appropriate in this regard.

[Joe Carillo]

Many years ago, the Philippine Embassy sent me old journals and magazines published in the Philippines. As I leafed through one of the magazines, I read a very interesting article about the 10-point agenda of  former president Fidel Ramos. What I was amazed about was the construction of the point-by-point agenda that started with the adverb "too". Here's a loose sentence or two starting with the adverb, "too".

1."Too, the president also has made sure..."
2."Too, this agenda will be..."

Using this adverb to start a sentence seems common among Filipino jouralists. This really must be in the watch list of no-no-no, don't you think?

No, the use of the adverb “too” to start a sentence isn’t common at all among Filipino journalists. In fact, until today when you cited its repeated usage in that 10-point agenda of a former Philippine president, I have never come across that usage—certainly not in that sense of “also,” “moreover,” or “similarly.”

It may not be outright grammatically wrong usage, but the use of “too” up front of a sentence certainly sounds odd and looks like an affectation—one that calls too much attention to itself especially in this particular case where it’s used repeatedly as part of an enumerative sequence. Even if there’s no firm rule against this usage, it isn’t good from a stylistic viewpoint. Indeed, it’s always better to write in a way that calls more attention to the point you’re trying to make rather than to a stylistic artifice that you just happen to have grown fond of using.

So, now that you ask me, I strongly suggest that we banish that frontline usage of “too” from our writing and settle for something much more conventional and natural-sounding instead—like “also” and “likewise” if we find “moreover” too formal or legalistic for comfort.

[Joe Carillo]

My husband and I just finished having breakfast and as usual, we listened to the BBC
morning radio show, "The Today Programme". One of the presenters was interviewing
Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK Business Secretary. Time and again, I hear him use
the double comparative adjective:
"Oh, yes, indeed...it is more nicer to have..."
BBC presenters and reporters are guilty of this nowadays. It is a shame how the  standard
of grammar has gone down. Although we live in Spain, because of modern technology
we are able to get BBC, Sky etc  in seconds, as you guys do over there.
Yes, Joe, "My Media English Watch" is extremely appropriate in this regard.

I think the growing use of the the double comparative adjective--as in "more nicer"--is simply another awful manifestation of the increasing tendency of advertisers, politicians, and bureaucrats to overstate their case or exaggerate their claims. It's just the "super"-"ultra"-"hyper"-"mega" syndrome in language in another guise. In turn, I think, it's the downside to always having to think in terms of a 15-second TV commercial or a 5-second sound bite for TV or radio--it encourages overstatement or exaggeration as a way for making a point quickly to broadcast audiences amidst so much media noise. 

[jasonago]

Just a comment, I always read research papers and journals from the health care field and I have never encountered the "Too, sentence" pattern. The most common pattern is the "Also, sentence..."

Actually it's my first time to see that there are people using "Too" in front of the sentences...