Interjections

§ 1. Interjections are words expressing emotions, such as sur- prise, anger, pleasure, regret, indignation, encouragement, tri- umph, etc. They are used as exclamations.

§ 2. Some interjections are special words which are not associ- ated with any other parts of speech, e.g. oh , ah , eh , aha , alas , fie , humph , hum , phew , pshaw , pooh , tush , bravo , hurrah , etc.

Some of these interjections serve to express quite definite feel- ings. Thus alas is a cry of sorrow or anxiety; bravo is a cry of ap- proval, meaning 'well done, excellent'; hurrah is a cry of express- ing joy, welcome; fie, pooh and pshaw express contempt; aha expresses triumph.

Other interjections, according to the tone of the voice, may express emotions of different character, e.g. ah may show sorrow, surprise, pity, pleasure, etc.; oh is an exclamation of surprise, fear, pain, etc.; phew may express relief, astonishment or con- tempt; eh — surprise or doubt; tush — contempt or impatience; humph — doubt, disbelief or dissatisfaction.

§ 3. There are a number of words which belong to different other parts of speech but which are also used as interjections, e.g. bother, come; damn; hear, hear; now; there, there; well; why, etc. We even find phrases used as interjections, e.g. dear me; dear, dear; goodness gracious; confound it; hang it; for shame; well, I never, etc.

Some of them, like interjections proper, serve to express quite definite feelings. For example, bother; oh, bother are exclamations of impatience; goodness gracious, goodness me are exclamations of surprise; damn, damn it all, damn you, confound you and hang it

are used to express anger, annoyance; for shame serves as a re- proof for not being ashamed of one's actions, behaviour; well, I never expresses surprise and indignation at the same time; hear, hear is used as a form of cheering, usually to express approval, but it may also be used ironically; there, there is used to soothe a person (e.g. There, there, you haven't really hurt yourself}.

Other interjections of this kind may express quite different feelings, according to the tone of the voice or the context.

Thus dear, dear or dear me or oh, dear express sorrow, im- patience or wonder; why may be an expression of surprise or pro- test, as in: Why, it's quite easy!

Come or come, come indicate either encouragement or blame, as in: Come, cornel Don't be so foolish! or Come, comel You don't expect me to believe it\

Now and now, now can in different cases serve a different pur- pose: Now listen to met means I beg you to listen to me; Oh, come now! expresses surprise, reproof, disbelief. Now, now or now then are meant as a friendly protest or warning.

Well, depending on the sentence in which it is used, may ex- press a variety of emotions. In Well, who would have thought it? it serves as an expression of surprise. In Well, here we are at last! it expresses relief. Well serves to express expectation in Well then?, Well, what about it?; resignation in Well, it can't be helped, concession in Well, it may be true, etc.

Note. Imitation sounds such as mew, cock-a-doodle-doo, bang and the like can- not be treated as interjections since they do not serve to express any feeling.