Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Interjection three. The interjection
today is "ahem. " All right spelled A-H-E-M.
All right. Let's take a look at the note here. Ahem is
actually an interjection that is a throat
clearing sound. Yeah. A lot of times when you're clearing your throat (ahem sounds)
That's basically what it is. All right. Let's continue.
It is used especially to attract attention
in a polite way. However, it could also be used to express
disapproval, annoyance, embarrassment or shock. So it's really used in a lot of
ways. It's basically an onomatopoeia.
All right. Remember that's a word that sounds ... that's spelled exactly like it
sounds. Like buzz. Buzz is spelled B-U-Z-Z.
It's spelled exactly like it sounds. Okay. that is sometimes simply just used for
its actual purpose of clearing one's throat. So sometimes
maybe somebody has a cold or a cough and they
are really just clearing their throat. Maybe there is no
special purpose like we have here , but it is also used for these reasons too.
Okay. Finally it could also be used in a sarcastic way.
Remember sarcasm is when you say one thing but you really mean
the opposite. All right. And we have six examples here of how we would use this.
All right. Let's look at the first one. The bell boy made an ahem
sound as he waited to be tipped. Yeah . You see this in the movies
all the time. You know maybe he might even be standing there with his hand out.
But maybe the person is not giving him a tip or they're not thinking about
it. They're doing something else and then you know, he doesn't go away. He
doesn't leave and he just went 'ahem" you know, and then
you turn around he might be standing there with his hand
out. Well he wants a tip. So that would be a polite way or
kind of a polite way in trying to get someone's attention.
And then usually the person gets the hint and would probably give them a tip
at that point if they didn't do it before. All right. Let's continue.
Ahem. Excuse me. What did you say ? You know , this might be ... this could be
a few ones. This could be disapproval or annoyance. You know, maybe somebody
said something and you want to make sure. Ahem.
Did you really say what I think you said ? Kind of like that.
All right. The third one here. Some TV anchors
professed to others. So they're kind of like preaching or professed to others
that they must always wear a mask in public places
due to the corona virus. One of them was even caught in public
without a mask while he was supposed to be in
quarantine because he tested positive for the disease he got. He was
tested. he was later tested ... so first he was
professing this then he got tested for the corona virus
and he was quarantining himself supposedly in his own house
in his basement. But then he got caught outside in public. I think there was some
guy on a bicycle caught him and knew him because he was a
famous person. Hey ! Don't you have corona virus ? Aren't you
supposed to be ... aren't supposed to be quarantined ? So in
this sentence we could say this whole thing
where you're not directly saying the person's name , but then you might say
"ahem " Chris Cuomo. You know, meaning like you weren't going to say it but then you
said his name like he's an example of this. So it kind of also
refers to shock and disapproval here too. Okay.
And number four. Yeah Chris Cuomo. Remember Chris Cuomo. He is
actually the brother of Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York.
And he's a famous anchor on CNN. All right. Let's, let's read number
four . i think you are sitting in my seat. All
right this is another way to get attention.
Maybe a little bit of annoyance to it too. Because you know, you're sure that's
your seat. You know somebody else sat there for
whatever reason. You know but maybe they weren't looking at you. So you went
ahem just to get their attention. So they turn around and then say I think you're
sitting in my seat. Okay. Good. Number five here.
Ahem . You are unaware. Yes. In case, in case you are unaware there is
no smoking in here. Look at the sign. So again they probably
did it to get attention. A little bit annoyance to it. Maybe
a little bit of disapproval. All right. And the last one is to do with
sarcasm. And it's probably used in a little bit of a humorous way.
Maybe somebody was saying" Oh come. My wife will make you a lot of food and
you know, come on. You like my wife's food don't you ? And then you go,
I really "ahem" love your wife's cooking. You know but
they say it in such a way as sarcasm. Meaning ... not really.
No. She doesn't often make a good tasting food. So
I really ahem love your wife's cooking. So here it's meant
to show sarcasm.. You say it as though you love it,
but you really mean you don't love it. Sometimes used in a
humorous way or as a joke probably among friends. Okay.
Anyway, I hope you got it I hope it was clear. I
hope was informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.