Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

INTERJECTIONS

113

The term interjection normally refers to exclamative utterances consisting of

single words that do not easily fit into the major word classes (noun, verb,

adjective, adverb) such as: bother, crikey, damn, god, goodness (me), gosh, 

(good) heavens

, hooray, jeez, ooh, oh no, oops, ouch, ow, ugh, tut-tut, whoops,

wow

, yippee, yuk. 

All these items express positive or negative emotional reactions to what is being

or has just been said or to something in the situation. Interjections are especially

common in spoken language and rare in writing except in written representations

of speech:

A: You know Hilary? She got married last week.

B: Gosh! That’s quick. How long has she known him? 

(expresses surprise; Crikey/wow are alternatives here)

Ouch, that hurt. 

(expresses a reaction to pain)

Oops, I shouldn’t have said that, should I?

(expresses a reaction to having unintentionally done something inappropriate)

A: The bus has already gone.

B: Damn. Now I’m going to have to walk home. 

(expresses irritation at bad luck or inconvenience)

Ugh, I can’t eat any more of this. 

(expresses a negative reaction to unpleasant sensations)

They’re here at last. 

Yippee! 

(expresses excitement)

224 | From discourse to social contexts

Cambridge Grammar of English

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A: Come and look at the sunset.

B: [goes to the window] Wow, yeah, fantastic.

(expresses strong surprise or a reaction of awe and wonder)

Tut-tut. That’s the second time this week you’ve forgotten my coffee.

(expresses disapproval, often in a mock-humorous way)

Other items include: 

phew 

(expresses relief)

hooray 

(indicates delight at a particular outcome)

aargh 

(indicates general displeasure or unhappiness)

urgh 

(expresses a strong negative reaction of displeasure)

poo 

(reaction to an unpleasant smell)

yuk 

(reaction to something unpleasant, e.g. a taste)

ooo 

(reaction of pleasure or delight)