A Whole Nother
I hate this phrase. I hate this phrase a lot. Which got me thinking about where it came from in the first place, and it’s actually a debate unto its self…
“A Whole Nother”
An other -> A nother
Is it possible that the phrase was created simply because of a moved letter? This would mean, though, that we use “nother” on it’s own, in situations that don’t include the word “whole” and I have never done this before. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone do it, either.
A whole ‘nother
This one makes a bit more sense, although I don’t think this is exactly where it came from (for me, at least). Rather than the “a” at the beginning because the “a” in “another” it’s “a” the article, and the “a” on another is removed entirely. (Try saying “a whole another”; it sounds incredebly wrong, which is why the “a” on “another” would be removed.)
A whole nother
I agree with this one the most. This explanation was given by a PhD student in English Linguistics. “The phenomenon is called infixation because a morpheme is inserted into the middle of another one.” Which sounds… weird, but I’ll explain. You’ve heard people say things like “fan-freaking-tastic” right? (I say that!) That’s what this particular infixation is referring to. We’re putting the word “whole” in between the word “another”.
Even though I now know where this ugly phrase came from, I hate it, and wish that I could strike its usage from my speaking grammar entirely, but I think it will be impossible. The phrase is completely incorrect, in my opinion, because you could say something like “another whole” but no one says that. “I have to write a whole nother chapter!” “I have to write another whole chapter!” Either way it feels a bit uncomfortable. It’s just one of those phrases that has sunk its teeth into the proper ways of English and rooted its self in colloquial.
November 18th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
I use “A whole nother,” but I also use “A whole other,” which isn’t much better, but at least it sounds a little more sophisticated…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:51 am
I’ve never used it or heard it used but I can see why you’d get annoyed by it.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I wouldn’t doubt that it’s an American thing. XD Any statements from other Brits/Englanders that it isn’t use on the other side of the sea?
November 19th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I’ve heard it plenty of times, but only in repeats of American sit-coms. Never have I or anyone I know used it, nor have I heard it in British shows. So yeah, I suppose it’s an American thing.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:14 am
Thanks for the effort in explaining this. I’ve constantly find myself accidentally typing this and having problems rearranging my sentences after finding out that I have written the phrase.
I disagree with your example though. Based on my recollection, I’ve yet to read anyone say “I have to write a whole nother chapter!” even among those who use the phrase.
Personally I used it more often during rants where the tendency for hyperbole occurs. Usually, what I’m trying to expressed is “another other” or “a whole other thing” or “an another with greater significance than just a plain ole another” and usually use it after is/was.
Since forgotten my grammar lessons, forgive me if I’m unwilling to suggest whether your example is wrong because you turned it into an adjective or one of those, pre- things or gerund things or something else. I just think it’s wrong or rare because I haven’t read anyone write it that way and indeed when you use it coming off a word like chapter, it does make it much more horrible than it’s often used.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:40 am
Sweet post.
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Thank You
November 27th, 2007 at 3:14 am
It’s one of those weird colloquial phrases that looks horrible to read, but it sounds pretty fun.