I had no real reason for this exploration. It’s mostly because it cropped up with uh, and it made sense to include it, especially since writers do tend to screw up on these types of exclamations.
So you may want to explore “Uh versus Um” and “‘Em, ‘Er, ‘Im . . .“.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.
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| Huh |
|---|
| Part of Grammar: |
| Exclamation
Also see uh-huh |
Used to express scorn, anger, disbelief, surprise, or amusement
|
| Examples: |
| “Huh,” she snorted, “Over my dead body!”
Huh, she said that, did she? That was pretty scary, huh? |
| History of the Word: |
| First recorded in English in the early 17th century. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Huh? What’s That You Say?
Apple Dictionary.com
Pinterest Photo Credits
Huh . . .?!? Bernard Dehydrated Water Product, <https://visualhunt.com/f2/photo/2691558545/728150acb4/>, by EraPhernalia Vintage . . . [”playin’ hook-y”] ;o, <https://visualhunt.com/author/8d242b>, is under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, via VisualHunt.
Revised as of 13 Apr 2024
By: Kathy Davie