Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (227 page)

What now?
Go to Now what?

What number are you calling?
an expression used when one suspects that a telephone caller may have gotten the wrong number.
B
OB
(on the telephone): Hello? M
ARY
: Hello, is Sally there? B
OB
: Uh, what number are you calling? M
ARY
: I guess I have the wrong number. Sorry. B
OB
: No problem. Good-bye
.
When the receptionist asked, “What number are you calling?” I realized I had made a mistake.

What of it?
What does it matter?; Why treat it as if it were important?; Why do you think that this is any of your business? (Colloquial and a bit contentious.)
J
OHN
: I hear you've been having a little trouble at the office. B
OB
: What of it?
S
UE
: You missed a spot shaving. F
RED
: What of it?

What say?
What did you say?
T
OM
: My coat is there on the chair. Could you hand it to me? B
OB
: What say? T
OM
(pointing): Could you hand me my coat?
S
UE
: Here's your paper. F
RED
: What say? S
UE
(louder): Here is your newspaper!

What
someone
said
.
I agree with what someone else just said. (Sometimes used when a previous utterance is too difficult to repeat.)
Q: Bob stated his position quite clearly, though not concisely. What's your opinion, Andy? A: What Bob said
.
Q: With regard to the current economic malaise, do you think, as I do, that Keynesian economics, properly applied, of course, holds our only hope? A: What you said.

What was the name again?
Please tell me your name again. (More typical of a clerk than of someone just introduced.)
C
LERK
: What was the name again? B
ILL
: Bill Smith
.
“What was the name again? I didn't write it down,” confessed Fred.

What would you like to drink?
an offer to prepare an alcoholic drink.
B
ILL
: Come in and sit down. What would you like to drink? A
NDREW
: Nothing, thanks. I just need to relax a moment
.
W
AITER
: What would you like to drink? A
LICE
: Do you have any grape soda? W
AITER
: I'll bring you some ginger ale, if that's all right. A
LICE
: Well, okay. I guess.