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The elusive "h"
Dec. 19th, 2007 10:57 amIs there a difference between a whanker and a wanker? Inquiring minds want to know.
To me, the first version's w-sound is followed by a slight aspiration, while the second's is not, so there is a difference in pronunciation. But the wh vs. w sound (wye vs. why) is not distinguished in some dialects, so I'm wondering if they are supposed to mean the same thing and sound the same.
The slight etymological information that I can find is for the h-less version, which seems to have originated in the mid to late 1940s...which means it was probably around for a bit before that, right? Marjorie Jones uses the term in dialogue in her post-World War I, Australian-set historical, The Flyer. As I read, I assumed it was just an Australian English spelling difference from the British English spelling. Yes? No?
ETA: afterthought -- maybe Jones' character was channeling JR Ward's BDB? Whanker. Bhillabhong. Sheilahs. Rehservations. Stationhs.
( More about The Flyer )
To me, the first version's w-sound is followed by a slight aspiration, while the second's is not, so there is a difference in pronunciation. But the wh vs. w sound (wye vs. why) is not distinguished in some dialects, so I'm wondering if they are supposed to mean the same thing and sound the same.
The slight etymological information that I can find is for the h-less version, which seems to have originated in the mid to late 1940s...which means it was probably around for a bit before that, right? Marjorie Jones uses the term in dialogue in her post-World War I, Australian-set historical, The Flyer. As I read, I assumed it was just an Australian English spelling difference from the British English spelling. Yes? No?
ETA: afterthought -- maybe Jones' character was channeling JR Ward's BDB? Whanker. Bhillabhong. Sheilahs. Rehservations. Stationhs.
( More about The Flyer )
