According to Hofmann: Three word origins for the price of one
We take many things for granted like air, meatloaf and defense satellites, but besides the meatloaf, the thing we take the most for granted are the words and phrases we use everyday.
For example, when someone sneezes, we say things like 鈥渂less you!,鈥� 鈥淕od bless you,鈥� 鈥渟weet, sweet molasses the tree蘑菇视频 been tapped!鈥� There蘑菇视频 also 鈥済esundheit,鈥� which took eight attempts and three Google searches to spell right, so to all you haters, I do conduct some research for these columns.
We probably came up with 鈥渂less you鈥� or 鈥淕od bless you鈥� back in ancient times when they believed a sneeze either brought a demon out of your body or invited one in. I can鈥檛 remember which, but I鈥檓 sure it had something to do with demon possession because even now, in this cynical day and age, a sneeze can be scary.
If your response to that is 鈥渨hatever,鈥� you probably didn鈥檛 stop and think about the origins of the word that seems to transcend generations of people蘑菇视频 annoying indifference to all things.
Like current words and phrases used every day, we鈥檝e shortened 鈥渨hatever鈥� to the point where it changed significantly from its word origin, which we鈥檒l now explore.
Like my English history professor always told me, 鈥淪top assuming word origins, Mark, and do research because you鈥檙e not that bright.鈥�
My assumption is that the word 鈥渨hatever鈥� comes from the phrase 鈥淲hat you say may be correct and informative, and while I may concede to it, I鈥檒l stick to my opinion, and it will be that way forever.鈥�
It took three centuries 鈥� give or take a few decades 鈥� to condense that sentence to 鈥渨hatever鈥� and, believe it or not, it蘑菇视频 still evolving 鈥� or devolving.
Here蘑菇视频 a recent history of the phrase: The 1970s: 鈥淲hatever you say鈥�; the 1980s: 鈥淵eah, whatever鈥�; the 1990s: 鈥淲hat-eveeerrrr鈥�; the 2000s: 鈥淲haaaa-ever鈥�; the 2010s: 鈥淲hat-evs鈥�, the 2020s: 鈥淲vr鈥�; the 2030s: 鈥淲wwwvvvv鈥� and the 2040s: 鈥淿______鈥� because we鈥檒l be able to project our thoughts by that point.
Another thing people say that always catches my attention is the word 鈥渨ell鈥� because 95% of the people being interviewed on TV, the radio, the newspaper or even asked a question in everyday life start off their answer with 鈥渨ell.鈥�
It蘑菇视频 like a nervous tick that I can鈥檛 shake and infuriates me to no end, which is why I answer most questions with, 鈥淲ell鈥揳rgh!!! Stupid Mark! Stupid, stupid, stupid!鈥揑 don鈥檛 know if 鈥楥annonball Run鈥� is Burt Reynolds鈥� best movie or not.鈥�
I think people started using the word 鈥渨ell鈥� after seeing very smart people search for an answer after receiving a difficult question and they would start with 鈥淲ell鈥︹�� and then there would be a genuine pause anywhere between two seconds and 40 minutes before giving their answer.
Then people, in an attempt to appear smart, started saying stuff like, 鈥淲ell 鈥� I guess I鈥檓 allowed to eat a banana peel鈥� and included the pause for the effect or they weren鈥檛 really sure what part of a banana is edible.
Nowadays, there蘑菇视频 not even a pause between 鈥渨ell鈥� and an answer that requires little or no thought. We just do it automatically.
It must be confusing at a doctor蘑菇视频 office when they ask a patient how they鈥檙e feeling.
鈥淲ell, I have this gaping head wound, doc.鈥�
鈥淲ell, make up your mind. Are you feeling well despite the gaping head wound or did you have to think about your gaping head wound, which is why you said 鈥榳ell鈥� before answering?鈥�
鈥淲ell 鈥� now I鈥檓 really confused, hence the pause and the fact that I鈥檓 losing consciousness due to, you know, this gaping head wound.鈥�
By the way, I may have just ruined the word 鈥渨ell鈥� for you because now you鈥檒l take notice of it whenever you鈥檙e watching a TV interview or listening to people and it will drive you a little nuts just like me.
If you don鈥檛 believe me, then all I can say is, 鈥淲ell, then bless you or whatever.鈥�
According to Hofmann is written by staff reporter Mark Hofmann of Rostraver Township. His books, 鈥淕ood Mourning! A Guide to Biting the Big One鈥nd Dying, Too鈥� and 鈥淪tupid Brain,鈥� are available on Amazon.com. He co-hosts the 鈥淟ocally Yours鈥� radio show on WMBS 590 AM every Friday.