Another word for "heck?"

Sohia Rose · May 19, 2007

I need another word or expression for, "What in the insert word/phrase here is that?"

I don't want to use: What in the hell is that?

I currently have: What in the hedge clippers is that?

I want to use something totally off the wall!

Thanks!

benbradley · May 19, 2007

I guess hades doesn't work. That was my first thought seeing the subject.

I suppose the old standby What in the world is that? isn't what you want.

How about something meaningless but vaguely suggestive:

What in the hoo-haa is that?

newmod · May 19, 2007

What the devil is that? What the blazes is that? What in god´s name is that? What on earth is that?

If I think of any more I´ll let you know

Maybe you could also elaborate blazes to What the blue blazes is that?

newmod · May 19, 2007

Damnation, creation, heavens, God´s green earth

newmod · May 19, 2007

in the name of insert preference here e.g. What in the name of gallumphing elephants is that?

aliajohnson · May 19, 2007

Something totally off the wall? Does it need to fit into the exact sentence of "What in the ---- is that?"?

If so, how about--

Hokey Pokey

Hullabaloo

Pike · May 19, 2007

How about some old time favorites like: Sam Hill, blue blazes, or as Slim Pickins said in Blazing Saddles "What in the Wild, Wild, World of Sports is going on here?"

Sohia Rose · May 19, 2007

Those are funny!

I obviously want to avoid cliches, which is why I avoided some of these phrases. But this is funny stuff! I'm going to experiment with a few of these.

Thanks!

limitedtimeauthor · May 19, 2007

Who is saying it, Sohia? That would make a diff.

I can add H-E double hockey-sticks to the cliche list. But it's not really off the wall.

ltd.

clara bow · May 19, 2007

tarnation?
(did i spell it right?)

SpookyWriter · May 19, 2007

Just a few off the top of me head.

What in the god's name is that?

What in the fuck is that?

What in the bezzel is that?

What in christ's name is that?

What in good god is that?

What in the frick is that?

What in the heavens is that?

What in the heavens name is that?

What in the queen's name are you doing with that?

What in blue blazon is that?

What in the holy smokes is that?

What in the holy crap is that?

What in the leapin lizards is that?

Sohia Rose · May 19, 2007

limitedtimeauthor said:
Who is saying it, Sohia? That would make a diff.

...

ltd.

Me. It's a humorous, how-to (non-fiction) book.

Silver King · May 19, 2007

Sohia Rose said:
...I want to use something totally off the wall!

I was getting drunk with my brother-in-law once, waxing poetic about who knows what, when he grabbed my wrist, looked at me strangely and said, "What in the diggidy-dang-dong are you talking about?"

I'm not sure if this classifies as off the wall, but I haven't heard the expression since.

BardSkye · May 19, 2007

Red Dwarf fans use "What the smeg is that?"

veinglory · May 19, 2007

which is petty rude when you think about the etymology of it....

maestrowork · May 20, 2007

Why off the wall?

What would your CHARACTER/narrator use?

To me, choosing a word just for the heck of it (pun intended) is kind of silly...

Sohia Rose · May 20, 2007

maestrowork said:
Why off the wall?

What would your CHARACTER/narrator use? ...

Because my sense of humor is that way and sometimes I have a block. I know the kind of thing I want to say, but I can't find the right words, hence, this posting.

In this piece of work, I don't want "safe." Safe wouldn't jive with the overall tonality of the piece. This sentence is obviously out of context from a current outline of 10,000 words.

I have written and sold 4 articles with the same humorous tone; I can't change my style. What can I say? It's how I do.

maestrowork · May 20, 2007

Oh sorry, I thought I was in "novel writing." So it's your own voice we're talking about. In that sense, I think you should use whatever amuses you the most.

For me, I'd probably use:

What in the broken syringe is that?
What in the mother-in-law is that?
What in the three-day-old diaper is that?

Sohia Rose · May 20, 2007

I've actually read books and studied "how to write funny." There are certain techniques that one can use. In this particular instance, a how-to book, I'm explaining something "serious." Well, as serious as I can be with humor added. But the goal of this particular paragraph is to use something that's completely unrelated to what I'm taking about. That's what makes it funny.

Even with non-fiction, one has to structure their style. The piece is conversational in tone. Yet, it still has to be polished. Currently, I am writing a first draft from an outline. This piece will go to its sixth draft (that's just one of my little quirks :tongue

). My other work, a memoir, is slathered with sarcasm because that's who I am. I've watched as others have read pieces of it and laughed on "cue."--essentially, where they should have.

Another word for "heck?"

Sohia Rose

Will write for coffee

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

newmod

newmod

newmod

aliajohnson

Pike

Chivalry ain't dead

Sohia Rose

Will write for coffee

limitedtimeauthor

Super duper user

clara bow

Li'l Rug Bug

SpookyWriter

Sohia Rose

Will write for coffee

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

BardSkye

Barbershoppin' Harmony Whore

veinglory

volitare nequeo

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Sohia Rose

Will write for coffee

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Sohia Rose

Will write for coffee