what-not (n) 1. a minor or unspecified article or object. 2. a set of light, open shelves for ornaments.
Apparently “whatnot” is a real word. It’s also one of my pet peeves. I had a “whatnot” day on Friday. I am not exaggerating when I say that I heard the word “whatnot” used at least 6 times in conversation Friday. Not one of them was by me. Each and every time I heard it I had to grit my teeth to keep from shouting at the guilty party. As evidenced by the dictionary definition above, I didn’t believe that “whatnot” was a real word until I looked it up. My assumption was that it’s one of those words used when one is too lazy to come up with a real word to express their thoughts. Remember the Seinfeld episode when everyone started saying “Yada, yada, yada,” as in “I ran into my old girlfriend at the coffee shop, we had a few drinks, yada, yada, yada, and here we are.” To me whatnot is the same thing. “Oh yeah, I had to go to the store to pick up some printer paper and whatnot.” What is the whatnot?!!? I want to know! Finish the freakin’ sentence before I kill you please! If you picked up whatnot, does it mean that you actually purchased a set of light, open shelves for ornaments? Apparently there was a sale on them Friday and nobody told me. I’d rant a little longer today, but I have to go pay some bills and whatnot. When I get back I look forward to all your comments cleverly incorporating the word whatnot.
Well shit. I guess this means we can’t talk anymore. I use that word. :0( At least you didn’t rant on the use of the word ” ya’ll “. I use that ALL of the time.
It’s one of my pet peeves too. The other one is “irregardless” even though its in the dictionary as well. I hate the phrase “fer instance”, the misuse of “Ironic”, the way people are over-using the word “brilliant” lately, and whatnot.🙂
My best friend does that. She leaves out all the information, by using “whatever.” She’ll say, “So Wayne called me and was asking all these questions and whatever.” That tells me NOTHING! It drives me crazy.
Geez, I don’t know what not to say to you 😛 I just say, damn! I can’t remember what that ‘thingy’ is called.And to g-man, I love the word brilliant, it expresses something that is more than great. Like our “brilliant” friend Phil here…. 😛
I always thought that a “what not” was like a “nick nack”. My pet peeve is when people, like, use the word “like” all the time. Like, that is really annoying, like y’know !!!Take care, Meow
I use that word all the time. It’s like stuff but better. And I use yadda yadda. Neither is incorrect, they are just colorful ways of using language. Phil, you need to lighten up, and whatnot. ROFTL!-N
LOL! That term drives my husband absolutely insane. That and when people mispronounce “Arctic”.Nice to see he’s not the only one.I popped in through Debbie Cakes’ link, and am enjoying your blog enormously. And whatnot. 😉
Whatnot? Whatever.
Well, I am at a loss for anything clever to do with that WORD (I’ll spare you) but… I do think it is funny that somebody else suffers these little silent moments of homicidal tendencies… Sometimes it is all I can do to keep my mouth shut… I just want to say… “Do you realize how stupid you are?”
I don’t hear that pharse often but I would probably drive you nuts by saying “you know what I mean”, you know what I mean?
I only started using the WORD a few months ago.You know when someone around you says something a lot, you pick it up and BAM!!! There you are saying “ya know” and “whatnot”.
I think whatnot is cute. 🙂 It’s certainly better than etc., bla bla bla, or whatever (God I hate whatever!). It’s so “Clueless.” Uh Duh.
i have to admit i have used whatnot before. my pet peeve is whodacallit, yes i am from the south and i hear this often referring to some unknown person to me. my response, “who in the hell are you talking about?” even if i know who it is.
some of the ones I use that would probably get on your nerves as well are: whatchamacallitdoohickythingamajigdillybobberpoodiddlysquat