Meh vs. Eh
January 21st, 2009 at 7:00 am
My review for David Sedaris’s latest book When You Are Engulfed in Flames consisted of one word:
Eh.
I was nonplussed about Mr. Sedaris’s work to say the least.
Thus the eh. With maybe a shoulder shrug.
But my one-word review caused quite a stir amongst my clan over at Good Reads.
“Don’t you mean meh?” they ask.
No. No I don’t. Don’t doubt my diction. I mean eh.
Asking someone if they mean meh instead of eh is like asking them if they mean going instead of gonna. Of course they mean going. That’s not the point. Let’s have some fun. Let’s be casual. Let’s be colloquial. Let’s dip into the vernacular.
I am a big fan and proponent of gutteral utterances and nonsensical sounds replacing words. It places the focus on emotion and visceral reaction instead of hifallutin articulation and eloquence.
Consider it a holdover from the Bush Administration.
Pffht!
This has created quite a stir in the office. It seems meh is more for the younger crowd and the older crowd is confused as to why anyone should add a letter to make a new word.
What do I think of all of this. meh.