What are Secondary Interjections?

Secondary Interjections are words or phrases taken from other classes of words, such as nouns, adjectives, or clauses. When used as interjections, they convey entirely different meanings.

Examples:

  • oh my gosh = oh my god - an expression of wow (exceptionally surprising)
  • oh my god - (refer to 'oh my gosh')
  • bless you - short for "(May God) bless you."
  • oh well - expresses a bit of disappointment
  • what - used to express surprise or disbelief; also an informal alternative to "what did you say?"
  • hey, you = "Hey! I'm talking to you!"
  • well - expresses acknowledgment of a statement or situation
  • damn - used to express anger, agitation, dismay, or contempt
  • darn = damn
  • shit - used to express worry, failure, shock, etc.
  • hell - used to express discontent, anger, or unhappiness
  • shucks - can express shy gratitude, shock, or disappointment
  • heck = hell

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