Why

[Charles Wells]

I say /hwai/ for both uses.  I am a native of Atlanta born in 1937 and
raised in Georgia until I was 18.

--Charles Wells

>What is the origin of the interjection "why", as in "Why, you little
>rascal!", "Why, I'll be damned!", etc.?
>
>I just now realized that the pronunciation is different (in my background)
>from the interrogative "why" -- i.e., I would pronounce "why" in "Why me?"
>as /hwai/ but "why" in "Why, I'll be!" as /wai/ ... and surely at least
>many of my family and childhood friends would have done the same. Just a
>local peculiarity? Or a personal misconception?
>
>-- Doug Wilson



Charles Wells
professional website: http://www.cwru.edu/artsci/math/wells/home.html
personal website: http://www.oberlin.net/~cwells/index.html
genealogical website:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/e/l/Charles-Wells/
NE Ohio Sacred Harp website: http://www.oberlin.net/~cwells/sh.htm