From the Lioness' Den...

Whatever

I have come to dislike that word very much.  Dictionary.com defines the word as follows:

 what·ev·er   Audio Help   /ʰwʌtˈɛvər, ʰwɒt-, ʰwət-, wʌt-, wɒt-, wət-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hwuht-ev-er, hwot-, hwuht-, wuht-, wot-, wuht-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

Eight letters that seem innocent enough....but when spewed from the mouth of an almost-14-year-old redhead, sometimes really push my buttons. Depending on the tone, inflection, and accented syllable, it has several meanings not listed above.  For example:

whatever! - I don't really have an opinion...until you tell me what you're thinking.  (i.e. "What do you want for supper, Shelby?" "whatever!" "OK, I'm making tacos." "Well - uh! Not that!")

what-evv-er - disbelief, or "as if" (i.e. "Ididn't buy that for you, I bought it for me." "What-evv-er" as she takes my new makeup to her room.)

whatev-errr - yeah, right (i.e. "I want you to clean your room and take your laundry to the sorter." "Whatev-errr" as she texts on her phone and flops on her bed and proceeds to ignore me.

Whaaat-ever - I'm getting tired of hearing you say the same thing over & over again. (i.e. "Your clothes aren't going to get washed if they don't get put in the sorter." "Whaaat-ever"  as she continues texting and ignoring...

what-EVER!!! - I know you're right but I'm not going to acknowlege it. (i.e. "I told you your laundry wasn't going to get washed if you didn't get it to the sorter. It's not my problem that the outfit you wanted to wear today isn't clean." "What-EVER!!!" as she stomps through the house while getting ready for school.)

There you have it.  I know there are those of you reading right now that are laughing and nodding your head as you relate to every word I have typed and know it's the truth.  For those of you whose children aren't yet teenagers.......take note! Beware! It will happen to you.