ANSWERS: 15
  • "Nother"'s not really a word. It's slang, like, "out frickin rageous", or "too damn bad." Instead of saying, "that's another issue." people throw the word "whole" in between the first and second syllables to emphasize the idea that the two issues are different. "That's a separate issue" sounds a little formal, when you think about it. I think it's fine when you talk to your friends. I use it, too, although I usually say, "That's a whole different story". But in writing? No. Great question, by the way.
  • The word "nother" never entered the English language. It is slang created by people using "another" as a separable word, the way you can separate some verbs in German. The gramatically correct phrase is "That's another whole issue." The phrase "a whole nother" is right up there with using "impact" as a verb. Grammatically incorrect, but common.
  • The word is nonstandard but widely used. After a while people will get tired of it and drop it. I might sometimes say "a whole other issue," but I wouldn't usually say "a whole nother..." unless I was using language very playfully with people who know the usual level of my language use. That "n" has been oddly MOVABLE in the history of English. Our word "orange" used to be "norange," after the Spanish "naranja." We had "nuncle" as well as "uncle." We've kept the latter, but in Shakespeare's time "nuncle" was in wide use. "Apron" has been "napron" in the past, because it came from French "naperon" (compare napkin). English is a strange beast.
  • No such word in standard English but it's slang use goes back to about 1300. A long time! Did you know that the word 'apron' used to be 'napron' but people changed from 'a napron' to 'an apron'?
  • I was starting to think I was the only one that this bothered. You would think that 'another' would be separable into 'an other' but for some reason the English speaking mind just doesn't seem to work that way.
  • Its been around a while, like napple and norange. As in 'I'm going to have a napple'
  • I wouldn't refer to it as an english word as described in the dictionary as yet (maybe Urban Dictionary)..I don't use it...but it is a sign of the continual evolution of a language.
  • its slang, and slang is becoming a normal language.
  • When in doubt, quote someone famous--internationally respected linguist John McWhorter refers to "nother" as a perfectly proper word nowadays that was formed as our language changes. He says that all languages are continually in a state of change, though some of course change much faster than others--Icelandic and Arabic have changed very slowly because of their isolated locations, but Mediterranean languages have changed rapidly.
  • I HATE when people say "a whole nother." Pet peeve of mine. You can't separate "another" that way.
  • What? This is news to me! I don't use it and think it's silly.
  • I never thought about that before. I actually don't say that. I say "That is a whole other issue!" I guess that doesn't even make much sense.
  • It is a horrible butchering of the English language. Another similar example is how instead of saying "everything", people will say "erything". I always use "other", never " nother", unless I am intoxicated, and having trouble with my words anyway!
  • I'm so glad you asked this question! I've often wondered that myself and it bugs me when people use that term. I always "That's a whole other issue" because "nother" just isn't a word. Thanks for bringing light to this!
  • Just slang. The correct term is "That is another issue entirely" The "nother" is put in by people who were stuck by the fact that a "whole other issue" sounded strange to them. It didn't seem to run.

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