Lexicon:Modern/waetaef
| waetaef | |
|---|---|
| Stage | Modern CLT |
| Pronunciation | /ˈwaɪ.taɪf/ |
| Part of speech | Interjection |
| Etymology | from Middle wātāf, from Proto wataf |
| Related words | omaejei, craeshwy |
waetaef — what is wrong with you; an exclamation of disbelief directed at a person.
Notes
Drifted from a general cry of outrage to a reproach aimed at someone in particular, and it is now almost always about a person rather than a situation. Strong. Not coarse exactly, but not said before one’s betters or elders and never in a magistrate’s hearing. Common everywhere regardless.