Or Whatever

I’ve noticed that a typical Cleveland resident often ends statements with the particulate phrase “or whatever.” Semantically it seems to be the equivalent in function as “I guess”, a sort of simultaneous space-filler and dismissive qualifier; an intentional addition so that the speaker feels that he or she isn’t being overconfident in their statement or bearing. I noticed this habit creeping into my speech and had to put a stop to it. I might not always be as concise as possible, or enunciate clearly, but I think my speech is pretty cruftless in other wise. Now that I’ve mostly rid myself of this Cleveland-specific tendency, or whatever, I’ve started noticing it more and more often in other people’s usage. This ability of mine, almost a confirmation bias, only really annoys me in music, as there are certain songs that I’ll notice a tiny piece of sampled production, and then can never merge it back into the soundscape afterward, or whatever.

Comments and conversations on this post

  1. For the most part, I’m okay with sounding like where I’m from–especially when the interjection in question has a reasonable interpretation like the one you cite above. One that I have been trying to remove from my speech is “a-whole-nother”. Or, wha-the deal is-tever.

  2. In Pittsburgh, that thrown in ending would be “‘n at” (and that) as in “Ah’m goin’ dahntahn to see the Stillers ‘n at.”

  3. I sometimes catch myself asking “how come?” instead of “why?”. Not sure if it’s a Cleveland thing or not.