Meh.
February 16, 2007 11:24 AM Subscribe
Heh.
posted by loquacious at 12:24 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by loquacious at 12:24 PM on February 16, 2007
Eww.
posted by loquacious at 12:37 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by loquacious at 12:37 PM on February 16, 2007
Wha?
posted by found missing at 12:37 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by found missing at 12:37 PM on February 16, 2007
When the Greek grammarian Thrax...
Bah. Thrax wasn't the dude's name, it was an epithet added to distinguish Dionysius Thrax (Διονύσιος ὁ Θρᾷξ, 170‑90 BC) from the zillion other Dionysiuses out there (I believe Dionysius was the most common Greek name in ancient times by a wide margin). It means 'Thracian,' so that the whole name can be rendered "Dennis from Thrace."
That said, this was an enjoyable piece, rendered particularly believable by the imprimatur of MeFi's own myl (Mark Lieberman).
posted by languagehat at 12:40 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Bah. Thrax wasn't the dude's name, it was an epithet added to distinguish Dionysius Thrax (Διονύσιος ὁ Θρᾷξ, 170‑90 BC) from the zillion other Dionysiuses out there (I believe Dionysius was the most common Greek name in ancient times by a wide margin). It means 'Thracian,' so that the whole name can be rendered "Dennis from Thrace."
That said, this was an enjoyable piece, rendered particularly believable by the imprimatur of MeFi's own myl (Mark Lieberman).
posted by languagehat at 12:40 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Enh.
posted by graymouser at 12:45 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by graymouser at 12:45 PM on February 16, 2007
Thhppt.
posted by jefbla at 12:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by jefbla at 12:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Uff-da!
posted by briank at 12:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by briank at 12:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
My!
posted by roll truck roll at 12:48 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by roll truck roll at 12:48 PM on February 16, 2007
SKRROOOOOONNNKK
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:49 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:49 PM on February 16, 2007
I gotta say that I find this more than a little amusing:
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "meh" is a form of the obsolete english word "mighe". Specifically examples of "meh" used this way in print can be found circa 1300.
So what is the definition of "mighe"? to urinate
— Which is pretty much what "meh" means in it's current usage in blog comments, (as in "piss on this") resurrected 700 years later. What are the chances of that?
posted by spock at 12:50 PM on February 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "meh" is a form of the obsolete english word "mighe". Specifically examples of "meh" used this way in print can be found circa 1300.
So what is the definition of "mighe"? to urinate
— Which is pretty much what "meh" means in it's current usage in blog comments, (as in "piss on this") resurrected 700 years later. What are the chances of that?
posted by spock at 12:50 PM on February 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
KHAAAAAAN!
posted by generichuman at 12:54 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by generichuman at 12:54 PM on February 16, 2007
Eh?
posted by Mayor West at 12:55 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Mayor West at 12:55 PM on February 16, 2007
Pfft.
posted by routergirl at 12:57 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by routergirl at 12:57 PM on February 16, 2007
Guh.
posted by secret about box at 1:01 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by secret about box at 1:01 PM on February 16, 2007
Balls!
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:03 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:03 PM on February 16, 2007
That said, this was an enjoyable piece, rendered particularly believable by the imprimatur of MeFi's own myl (Mark Lieberman).
It's Liberman, languagehat. We normal mortals have to scratch and beg just to get a post-hoc name drop by Pullum, whilst you just sit back and get linked to regularly on the llog front page, you weasel. You could at least spell the man's name right.
And I hate that he's got a lower user number than me. Freakin' linguists.
posted by cortex at 1:08 PM on February 16, 2007
It's Liberman, languagehat. We normal mortals have to scratch and beg just to get a post-hoc name drop by Pullum, whilst you just sit back and get linked to regularly on the llog front page, you weasel. You could at least spell the man's name right.
And I hate that he's got a lower user number than me. Freakin' linguists.
posted by cortex at 1:08 PM on February 16, 2007
Zuh?
posted by graymouser at 1:08 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by graymouser at 1:08 PM on February 16, 2007
And how to render the sound of an unvoiced glottal cough-type-thing of disgust, anyway? It's a great interjection—like a tiny little spasm of audible but not-quite-vocalized uncontrollable rejection—but I can't think of a good rendering, short of "*cough*".
posted by cortex at 1:10 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by cortex at 1:10 PM on February 16, 2007
*deletes multithousand-word treatise on why the glib sentiments embodied by "meh" might represent the nadir of a particular branch of civilization*
Shazam!
posted by gompa at 1:12 PM on February 16, 2007
Shazam!
posted by gompa at 1:12 PM on February 16, 2007
Fnord. (this comment is invisible)
posted by ZenMasterThis at 1:21 PM on February 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 1:21 PM on February 16, 2007 [3 favorites]
Crikey!
posted by jimmythefish at 1:25 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by jimmythefish at 1:25 PM on February 16, 2007
Odds bodkins!
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:28 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:28 PM on February 16, 2007
Blort!
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:30 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:30 PM on February 16, 2007
Narf!
posted by langeNU at 1:33 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by langeNU at 1:33 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
boioioioioing. aOOOga. gnurgnur. badongadongadonga. badabing. gyukyukyuk. oogleoogleoogle. hmmmmm. wawawawawawaaaaa. brapp.
posted by hexatron at 1:34 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by hexatron at 1:34 PM on February 16, 2007
Öh?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:39 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:39 PM on February 16, 2007
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "meh" is a form of the obsolete english word "mighe". Specifically examples of "meh" used this way in print can be found circa 1300.
Specifically, this example, from the Otho MS. of Layamon:
He nam his vrnal anon; an þe king meh þar-on.
Which looks like it should mean 'He took his urinal anon, and the king pissed thereon,' but probably doesn't. I have no idea what "vrnal" means, though.
It's Liberman, languagehat... You could at least spell the man's name right.
Fuck me! God fucking damn my rotting hide, I do that all the time! And Mark hates it, and I promised him I'd never do it again after he [sic]ed me on p. 113 of Far from the Madding Gerund: "On the question of the number of new English words per year, Languagehat writes: Lieberman [sic] rightly (in my opinion) discounts the trademarks..." And he's bound to see this and seethe. Dammit, now I want the ability to edit comments.
Feh!
posted by languagehat at 1:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Specifically, this example, from the Otho MS. of Layamon:
He nam his vrnal anon; an þe king meh þar-on.
Which looks like it should mean 'He took his urinal anon, and the king pissed thereon,' but probably doesn't. I have no idea what "vrnal" means, though.
It's Liberman, languagehat... You could at least spell the man's name right.
Fuck me! God fucking damn my rotting hide, I do that all the time! And Mark hates it, and I promised him I'd never do it again after he [sic]ed me on p. 113 of Far from the Madding Gerund: "On the question of the number of new English words per year, Languagehat writes: Lieberman [sic] rightly (in my opinion) discounts the trademarks..." And he's bound to see this and seethe. Dammit, now I want the ability to edit comments.
Feh!
posted by languagehat at 1:46 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
(annoyed grunt)
posted by graymouser at 1:46 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by graymouser at 1:46 PM on February 16, 2007
Jinkies.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:47 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:47 PM on February 16, 2007
hurf durf butter eater?
posted by lalochezia at 1:50 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by lalochezia at 1:50 PM on February 16, 2007
And Mark hates it, and I promised him I'd never do it again after he [sic]ed me on p. 113 of Far from the Madding Gerund...
In print! Fantastic!
And it's okay. I only mock so viciously because I have committed the same error, and worse, under less flattering circumstances.
posted by cortex at 1:56 PM on February 16, 2007
In print! Fantastic!
And it's okay. I only mock so viciously because I have committed the same error, and worse, under less flattering circumstances.
posted by cortex at 1:56 PM on February 16, 2007
Also, I can't believe, given the Simpsonian heritage of meh, that we have yet to see this'n:
Snuh?
posted by cortex at 1:57 PM on February 16, 2007
Snuh?
posted by cortex at 1:57 PM on February 16, 2007
ColdChef: In my youth, we usually said "no doy" rather than "doy", to mean "no kidding!" or "isn't it obvious?"
posted by Lord Kinbote at 2:02 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Lord Kinbote at 2:02 PM on February 16, 2007
cortex, my closed captioning invariably renders that as "scoffs".
posted by katemonster at 2:04 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by katemonster at 2:04 PM on February 16, 2007
Oh! "scoff" is a pretty good rendering. Have I just been to dense to pick up on that as an established literal relationship all these years?
posted by cortex at 2:07 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by cortex at 2:07 PM on February 16, 2007
You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that.
posted by Durhey at 2:22 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Durhey at 2:22 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
¡ Ja ja ja !
As it happens, me laughing "in spanish" seems like ya ya ya instead of ha ha ha to my english speaking (writing?) friends.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:23 PM on February 16, 2007
As it happens, me laughing "in spanish" seems like ya ya ya instead of ha ha ha to my english speaking (writing?) friends.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:23 PM on February 16, 2007
So I bacame used to "laughing" in "english". Now it must sound like a a a to my spanish speaking friends.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:25 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:25 PM on February 16, 2007
Interjections! (Well!) show excitement! (Oh!) or emotion (Hey!)
They're generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point -
Or by a comma when the feeling's not as strong.
So when you're happy (Hur-ray!) or sad (Aww!)
Or frightened (Eeeeeek!) or mad (Rats!)
Or excited (Wow!) or glad (Hey!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.
hrumph.
(as in: I didn't get a hrumph outta that guy - Hrumph the governor! Hrumph! Hrumph! - You watch your ass)
posted by Smedleyman at 2:27 PM on February 16, 2007
They're generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point -
Or by a comma when the feeling's not as strong.
So when you're happy (Hur-ray!) or sad (Aww!)
Or frightened (Eeeeeek!) or mad (Rats!)
Or excited (Wow!) or glad (Hey!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.
hrumph.
(as in: I didn't get a hrumph outta that guy - Hrumph the governor! Hrumph! Hrumph! - You watch your ass)
posted by Smedleyman at 2:27 PM on February 16, 2007
I only mock so viciously because I have committed the same error, and worse, under less flattering circumstances.
That was you?
*points, laughs*
Er, I mean, I feel your pain.
posted by languagehat at 2:42 PM on February 16, 2007
That was you?
*points, laughs*
Er, I mean, I feel your pain.
posted by languagehat at 2:42 PM on February 16, 2007
Oi.
posted by QuietDesperation at 2:46 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by QuietDesperation at 2:46 PM on February 16, 2007
god, I was hoping someone would recognize that. Lekvar, you have made my day.
posted by COBRA! at 2:51 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by COBRA! at 2:51 PM on February 16, 2007
Aaaaaaaiiiiiiieeeeeeee!
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:53 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:53 PM on February 16, 2007
Snikt.
posted by Midnight Creeper at 2:55 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by Midnight Creeper at 2:55 PM on February 16, 2007
It was in IRC. It was never meant for public consumption. Backroom chatter. Someone on the channel blogged it, and Zimmer found it, and, well, yes. Hrm.
There is no cabal.
posted by cortex at 2:57 PM on February 16, 2007
There is no cabal.
posted by cortex at 2:57 PM on February 16, 2007
mwah/muah!
posted by lostburner at 3:00 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by lostburner at 3:00 PM on February 16, 2007
yada yada yada
I can't believe that nobody else had used that yet. What, is Seinfeld now Old and Busted? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
posted by wendell at 3:20 PM on February 16, 2007
I can't believe that nobody else had used that yet. What, is Seinfeld now Old and Busted? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
posted by wendell at 3:20 PM on February 16, 2007
Marr.
posted by crinklebat at 3:58 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by crinklebat at 3:58 PM on February 16, 2007
Yow!
(and I really think that the OED was reaching there; the chances of three letter with a vowel in the middle being used before is quite high. The brain does so want to have clear etymologies for words; it makes the world a neater, if smaller and more bland, place.)
posted by scruss at 4:26 PM on February 16, 2007
(and I really think that the OED was reaching there; the chances of three letter with a vowel in the middle being used before is quite high. The brain does so want to have clear etymologies for words; it makes the world a neater, if smaller and more bland, place.)
posted by scruss at 4:26 PM on February 16, 2007
"Keh." or perhaps "Khh." would be my rendition of the unvoiced glottal cough-type-thing of disgust.
Snu-snu.
posted by xiojason at 4:31 PM on February 16, 2007
Snu-snu.
posted by xiojason at 4:31 PM on February 16, 2007
He nam his vrnal anon; an þe king meh þar-on.
Mark E. Smith was around in the 13th century?
posted by mykescipark at 4:59 PM on February 16, 2007
Mark E. Smith was around in the 13th century?
posted by mykescipark at 4:59 PM on February 16, 2007
Aroo?
Ha! I beat Mark Liberman to MetaFilter by 64 users!
posted by moss at 5:17 PM on February 16, 2007
Ha! I beat Mark Liberman to MetaFilter by 64 users!
posted by moss at 5:17 PM on February 16, 2007
Gnnng.
posted by RokkitNite at 5:40 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by RokkitNite at 5:40 PM on February 16, 2007
AIEE! AIIEEE! ARRRGH! AWK! AWKKKKKK! BAM! BANG! Bang-eth! BAP! BIFF! BLOOP! BLURP! BOFF! BONK! CLANK! Clange! Clank-est! CLASH! CLUNK! Clunk-eth! CR-A-A-A-CK! CRASH! CRR-AAACK! CRUNCH! Crunch-eth! EEE-YOW! FLRBBBBB! GLIPP!!! GLURP! KAPOW! KAYO! KER-PLOP! KER-SPLOOSH! KLONK! KRUNCH! OOOFF! OOOOFF! OUCH! Ouch-eth! OWWW! !OX?-eth! PAM! PLOP POW! POWIE! QUNCXXX! RAKKK! RIP! SLOSH! SOCK! SPLA-A-T SPLATT! SPLOOSH SWA-A-P SWISH! SWOOSH THUNK! THWACK! Thwacke!! Thwape!! THWAPP! TOUCHE UGGH! URXX URKKK!! VRONK! WHACK! Whack-eth! Wham-eth!! WHAMM!! WHAMMM!! WHAP! ZAM ZAMN! [my personal favorite] ZAMMM! ZAP! Zap-eth! ZGRUPPP! ZLONK! ZLOPPP! ZLOTT! ZOK!! ZOWIE! ZWAPP! Z-ZWAP! Z-Z-Z-ZWAP! ZZZWAP!
posted by cenoxo at 5:50 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by cenoxo at 5:50 PM on February 16, 2007
jolifanto bambla ô falli bambla
grossiga m'pfa habla horem
égiga goramen
higo bloiko russula huju
hollaka hollala
anlogo bung
blago bung
blago bung
bosso fataka
ü üü ü
schampa wulla wussa ólobo
hej tatta gôrem
eschige zunbada
wulubu ssubudu uluw ssubudu
tumba ba- umf
kusagauma
ba - umf
posted by mykescipark at 5:57 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
grossiga m'pfa habla horem
égiga goramen
higo bloiko russula huju
hollaka hollala
anlogo bung
blago bung
blago bung
bosso fataka
ü üü ü
schampa wulla wussa ólobo
hej tatta gôrem
eschige zunbada
wulubu ssubudu uluw ssubudu
tumba ba- umf
kusagauma
ba - umf
posted by mykescipark at 5:57 PM on February 16, 2007 [1 favorite]
Blorch!
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:22 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:22 PM on February 16, 2007
Oh, and this post is kind of eponysterical if you squint.
Meh.
posted by metaplectic
posted by the_bone at 8:02 PM on February 16, 2007
Meh.
posted by metaplectic
posted by the_bone at 8:02 PM on February 16, 2007
"Smedleyman knows Schoolhouse Rock. Awesome!"
It's great to learn. 'Cos knowlege is power.
...hmmm....should I limit all comments to platitudes from schoolhouse rock? Truly all knowlege stems from that spring.
Nah, I get my thing in action.
posted by Smedleyman at 8:51 PM on February 16, 2007
It's great to learn. 'Cos knowlege is power.
...hmmm....should I limit all comments to platitudes from schoolhouse rock? Truly all knowlege stems from that spring.
Nah, I get my thing in action.
posted by Smedleyman at 8:51 PM on February 16, 2007
Bof!
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 9:14 PM on February 16, 2007
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 9:14 PM on February 16, 2007
Squeeeeeeee
posted by Happy Dave at 1:26 AM on February 17, 2007
posted by Happy Dave at 1:26 AM on February 17, 2007
I can't believe the poster whose username this is didn't avail him(or her)self of its use, as it is an excellent and underused interjection:
COBRA!
It means "we be-domed mercenaries will be defeated in a hail of blue lasers."
posted by Slothrop at 1:39 AM on February 17, 2007
COBRA!
It means "we be-domed mercenaries will be defeated in a hail of blue lasers."
posted by Slothrop at 1:39 AM on February 17, 2007
Not mercenaries, man. True believers in a righteous cause.
posted by COBRA! at 5:36 AM on February 17, 2007
posted by COBRA! at 5:36 AM on February 17, 2007
Ut! Though that may be the sole province of Flaming Carrot.
posted by cortex at 9:26 AM on February 17, 2007
posted by cortex at 9:26 AM on February 17, 2007
Aaaarooooogah!
posted by brundlefly at 9:57 AM on February 17, 2007
posted by brundlefly at 9:57 AM on February 17, 2007
Yar.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:13 PM on February 17, 2007
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:13 PM on February 17, 2007
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posted by DU at 12:23 PM on February 16, 2007