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Originally Posted by Shaikh Anwar Ali. I would like to say thanks to you because you have taken this sort of things on the web site for us.I want to ask to you that where can we use (watcha). I have understood until that what is meaning of watcha and another question that can we idoms in formal conversation.Ok.I am waiting to your reply.Till then. |
Welcome.
Whatcha? is a reduction. It means, What are you?
EX: Whatcha doing? (What are you doing?)
wha
tyou => wha
chou => whach
ou => whach
a
Whaddya? is also a reduction, and it means, What do you..?
EX: Whaddya think? (What do you think?)
wha
tdoyou => wha
ddayou => whaddaya
Reduced forms like, whatcha and whaddya are also called relax speech and fast speech. Some people might call reduced forms
slang, but they are not slang, and they are not idioms.
Reduced forms are the result of natural language processes, and those processes are universal. That is, you can hear them in every human language.
The reason speakers reduce phrases has to do with ease of articulation. It's easier on the articulators (tongue, teeth, lips, etc.). Even professors can be heard to say, "Whatcha" and "Whaddya".
As for when to use reduced forms, well, you can use your judgement since the same speech processes that produce "Whatcha" are active in all languages, even in your native language. In English, speakers tend not to use reduced forms in formal situations or situations in which a non-reduced form expresses the meaning with more clarity.
Mother:
What are you doing?
Small child: I washing my doll.
Mother:
Whatcha doing?
Older child: I'm watching TV.
How are you? 
Linear Mode
