interjections - are any hopelessly dated?

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I'm trying to come up with a list of common interjections to jazz up my spoken English. Having no problems with 'aw', 'duh' or 'huh', I realized there are too many ways to express annoyance or surprise. What I've got so far is:

expressing annoyance/anger/disappointment
darn!
rats!
drat!
blast!
shit! (impolite)
damn! (impolite)

(I won't use the last two much:-D)

expressing surprise
jeez
gee
gosh
goodness
whoa

Are any of them hopelessly dated? Are there any other commonly used interjections that can be added to the lists?

Thank you!

 

[5jj]

It's very hard to give a clear answer, because so many of these words are generation-tied. Some of the expressions my 87-year-old mother uses seem positively Victorian to me; I am sure my offspring feel the same about some of the expressions I use.

 

[Verona_82]

It's very hard to give a clear answer, because so many of these words are generation-tied. Some of the expressions my 87-year-old mother uses seem positively Victorian to me; I am sure my offspring feel the same about some of the expressions I use.

And which ones does your offspring use? Something tells me it's not 'rats' :-?

 

[5jj]

And which ones does your offspring use? Something tells me it's not 'rats' :-?

It's something old-fashioned actually - to do with barrels - it's 'firkin', I think.

 

[Tdol]

These seem dated to me:

darn!
rats!
drat!
blast!

I think these were dated when I was a child, and that was a frighteningly long time ago. ;-)

 

[Verona_82]

- to do with barrels it's 'firkin'

I'm not sure I understand what you mean

 

[waflob]

I think 5jj is being droll . Firkin isn't the word used by the younger generation, but sounds a bit like the one that is used. Using the real word would be considered vulgar etc.

My impression is that the kids today speak in abbreviations, saying thing such as lol, rofl, wtf and omfg. No, really, I've heard people actually say those !!

 

[5jj]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean

I was suggesting, as waflob hinted, that the word most commonly used by young people today is what we old f**ts sometimes call 'the F-word'.

 

[Barb_D]

I say "Darn it!" very frequently. But then, I was all in favor of returning to the kinder, gentler era of things like "oh my stars and garters!"

 

[Tdol]

old f**ts

What's scary is that I was a teenager when this term came into use. And used to use it about people other than myself. :shock:

 

[Tdol]

II was all in favor of returning to the kinder, gentler era of things like "oh my stars and garters!"

Woo- I haven't even read this one. :-D

 

[5jj]

I say "Darn it!" very frequently. But then, I was all in favor of returning to the kinder, gentler era of things like "oh my stars and garters!"

Ye gods and little fishes!

 

[Barb_D]

Great Scott!

 

[Verona_82]

By George, I didn't expect to get so many replies. Thanks a lot!

 

[emsr2d2]

Oh my sainted aunt! What a thread.

 

[Tdol]

Gadzooks (one from Fivejedjon's youth)

 

[5jj]

Well I'm blessed!

 

[JMurray]

Common in my youth: "crikey!", "cripes!", "golly!", "by jingo(es)!", "strike me pink!" among many others.
Lots of disquised f-words like: "fuh..cryin' out loud!", "friggin heck!".

I hear: "what the?", "bloody hell!" and of course all things holy, "holy sh*t/crap/hell/shamoly...etc!" and "Jesus H Christ!".
Also, "bugger me" or "I'll be buggered" as in: "Well bugger me, he's kicked another penalty from the half-way!".

not a teacher and no offence intended

 

[Barb_D]

Oh, I forgot my current interjection of choice: Holy cannoli!

And sometimes, Holy cannoli, Batman!