Dragaera

small linguistic related question

Thu Apr 15 08:31:43 PDT 2004

--- J C <greyw01f at hotmail.com> wrote:
> any guesses as to what the hell it means as "what" then?
> 
> "Pretty cool, what?"
> 
> ...what's that supposed to mean?

"Pretty cool, don't you think?"

It used to be a stereotypical expression of the English upper class.
"Bally hot day, eh what?"  The spelling "wot" indicates an English
pronunciation that I can't explain, but you'll know what I mean if
you watch Masterpiece Theatre.  I've even seen "wotwot?" at
alt.usage.english, from the poster formerly known as a1a.

If I heard an American (like Calvin or Hobbes) use it, I'd take it
as the same kind of affectation as an American saying "Good show!"
or "Bloody hell!"  (I say the latter occasionally.)

Jerry Friedman


	
		
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