Meh
Encyclopedia
"Meh" is an interjection
, often used as an expression of indifference or boredom. However, it can also be used to indicate agreement or disagreement. It can also be as a verb
, (rendering something, like an activity, to become uninteresting or boring) and an adjective
, meaning mediocre or boring.
. It was used in a 1994 episode, "Sideshow Bob Roberts
", when a librarian reacts to Lisa's surprise that voting records are not classified, and also in "Lisa's Wedding
" after Marge weaves "Hi Bart" on a loom to try to pique his interest in weaving, to which he responds "meh." In the 2001 episode "Hungry, Hungry Homer
", Lisa spells out the word for emphasis ("M - E - H"), after Homer tries to interest her (Lisa) and Bart into going to the theme park "Blockoland". As early as 1992, however, the word appeared in a posting to a Usenet Internet forum in a discussion referring to the TV series Melrose Place. The word's first mainstream print usage occurred in Canadian newspaper the Edmonton Sun
in 2003: "Ryan Opray got voted off Survivor
. Meh."
There has been speculation that its origin is Yiddish
because of its similarity to the interjection "feh". The word appears in the 1936 classic film Yidl Mitn Fidl
as the transliteration of the sound a goat makes. (Subtitles on a video version of the film translate as "A goat stands in the meadow, sadly saying 'meh.' Hey, you goat, you're foolish. To be sad is 'feh.'" ) See YouTube clip.
American lexicographer Benjamin Zimmer
wrote in 2006, "Whatever Yiddish origins the interjection might have had, they have been lost in post-Simpsons usage." Lexicographer Grant Barrett
wrote about "meh" and "D'oh", "I suspect they're both just transcribed versions of oral speech, which has any number of single-syllable sounds that mean a variety of things."
In December 2009, meh was part of the BBC News Online list of 20 words which 'defined the decade'.
. Cormac McKeown, senior editor for Collins dictionaries, said:
The inclusion of a neologism in a dictionary caused some controversy. Sam Leith
, writing in the Daily Telegraph, described the appearance of the word, following suggestions received from the public as a "gimmick", before concluding it was a "useful" word.
When complaints arose over this choice in Canada, Harper Collins' lexicographer Cormac McKeown, who chose the election reference, insisted that he meant "no slight to Canada."
Interjection
In grammar, an interjection or exclamation is a word used to express an emotion or sentiment on the part of the speaker . Filled pauses such as uh, er, um are also considered interjections...
, often used as an expression of indifference or boredom. However, it can also be used to indicate agreement or disagreement. It can also be as a verb
Verb
A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word that in syntax conveys an action , or a state of being . In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive...
, (rendering something, like an activity, to become uninteresting or boring) and an adjective
Adjective
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....
, meaning mediocre or boring.
Popularization
The word gained popularity as a result of its use on The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. It was used in a 1994 episode, "Sideshow Bob Roberts
Sideshow Bob Roberts
"Sideshow Bob Roberts" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons sixth season, and it originally aired on October 9, 1994. Kelsey Grammer returns as villain Sideshow Bob, who, in this episode, wins the Springfield mayoral election through electoral fraud. The episode was written by Bill Oakley and Josh...
", when a librarian reacts to Lisa's surprise that voting records are not classified, and also in "Lisa's Wedding
Lisa's Wedding
"Lisa's Wedding" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons sixth season, which originally aired March 19, 1995. The plot focuses around Lisa visiting a carnival fortune teller and learning about her future love. It was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Jim Reardon. Mandy Patinkin guest stars as...
" after Marge weaves "Hi Bart" on a loom to try to pique his interest in weaving, to which he responds "meh." In the 2001 episode "Hungry, Hungry Homer
Hungry, Hungry Homer
"Hungry, Hungry Homer" is the fifteenth episode of the twelfth season of The Simpsons and it aired on March 4, 2001. In the episode, Homer Simpson becomes a Good Samaritan after discovering the simple joys of helping people in need—which is put to the test when he goes on a hunger strike after the...
", Lisa spells out the word for emphasis ("M - E - H"), after Homer tries to interest her (Lisa) and Bart into going to the theme park "Blockoland". As early as 1992, however, the word appeared in a posting to a Usenet Internet forum in a discussion referring to the TV series Melrose Place. The word's first mainstream print usage occurred in Canadian newspaper the Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
in 2003: "Ryan Opray got voted off Survivor
Survivor (U.S. TV series)
Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
. Meh."
There has been speculation that its origin is Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
because of its similarity to the interjection "feh". The word appears in the 1936 classic film Yidl Mitn Fidl
Yidl Mitn Fidl
-History:After the success of Joseph in the Land of Egypt, a silent film dubbed into the Yiddish language by Joseph Green, met with success, he decided to create an entirely Yiddish film, and returned to his native Poland to do so...
as the transliteration of the sound a goat makes. (Subtitles on a video version of the film translate as "A goat stands in the meadow, sadly saying 'meh.' Hey, you goat, you're foolish. To be sad is 'feh.'" ) See YouTube clip.
American lexicographer Benjamin Zimmer
Benjamin Zimmer
Benjamin Zimmer is an American linguist and lexicographer. He is the executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com. He was the "On Language" columnist for The New York Times Magazine from March 2010 to February 2011 and formerly a research associate at the University of...
wrote in 2006, "Whatever Yiddish origins the interjection might have had, they have been lost in post-Simpsons usage." Lexicographer Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett is an American lexicographer, specializing in slang, jargon and new usage. He is also co-host and co-producer of the nationwide public radio show A Way With Words, and editor of the Official Dictionary of Unofficial English , the Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang Grant...
wrote about "meh" and "D'oh", "I suspect they're both just transcribed versions of oral speech, which has any number of single-syllable sounds that mean a variety of things."
In December 2009, meh was part of the BBC News Online list of 20 words which 'defined the decade'.
Controversy
In November 2008, the word was added to the Collins English dictionary, a British publication published by HarperCollinsHarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
. Cormac McKeown, senior editor for Collins dictionaries, said:
"This is a new interjection from the US that seems to have inveigled its way into common speech over here".
"It was actually spelled out in The Simpsons when HomerHomer SimpsonHomer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
is trying to pry the kids away from the TV with a suggestion for a day trip. They both just reply 'meh' and keep watching TV; he asks again and LisaLisa SimpsonLisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
says 'We said MEH! M-E-H, meh!' "
The inclusion of a neologism in a dictionary caused some controversy. Sam Leith
Sam Leith
Sam Leith is a British writer, journalist and columnist.After an education at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, Leith worked at revived satirical magazine Punch, before moving to the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph, where he served as literary editor until 2008...
, writing in the Daily Telegraph, described the appearance of the word, following suggestions received from the public as a "gimmick", before concluding it was a "useful" word.
In Canada
Harper Collins' definition of "meh" included a "real example" of usage:When complaints arose over this choice in Canada, Harper Collins' lexicographer Cormac McKeown, who chose the election reference, insisted that he meant "no slight to Canada."