276 What’s More and Whatever
f. It tells the world that here is some one gifted far above the normal in the
use of that literary scalpel called the dirty dig or the fi shy eye, or whatever.
(1927 Chicago Tribune [COHA])
g. If a public servant, for a bribe or whatever , permits the violation of a law,
he is Corrupt (1928/ 09/ 24 TIME)
h. “Here, you, James Lewis, or Lewis James, or whatever ... – He wanted me
to help him.” (1932 Gabriel, I, James Lewis [COHA])
Bare or whatever is rare before the middle of the twentieth century. CLMET3.0
provides no examples, CEN provides one example (29d), and COHA contains
only twenty- two examples pre- 1940.^25
Examples of bare or what appear in the early nineteenth century, in contexts
expressing doubt:
(31) a. Whether a Rectory, Vicarage, or what (1822– 26 Cobbett, Rural rides
[CLMET3.0])
b. I knew not what lulled me – whether it was the broad moonlight; her utter
helplessness; her abashed eyes; and pale, speechless lips, or what (1823
Neal, Seventy- six , Vol. 1 [COHA])
c. I don’t know whether ’t is misery, or what , but there are moments when his
mind wanders (1832 Payne, The black man [COHA])
d. they set up a general cry. I couldn’t tell whether it was of joy, or what. (1845
Simms, The wigwam and the cabin [COHA])
e. Whether he was incensed or surprised, or what , it was not easy to tell: he
could command his countenance thoroughly. (1847, Brontë, Jane Eyre
[CLMET3.0])
Examples in which or whatever no longer refers to a specifi c set, but acts as
a topic closer, or has eventive reference, appear in the 1940s and 1950s, thus
showing arrival at Traugott ’s third stage (see above):
(32) a. One may not like England or France? because of imperialism, past wars, war
debts, or whatever. But suppose burglars were breaking into the houses of
friends. (1939 New York Times , letter [COHA])
b. “But a girl has to live. And it isn’t always as easy as it looks. And so a girl
can make a mistake, marry the wrong guy and the wrong family, looking for
something that isn’t there. Security, or whatever .” (1942 Chandler, High
window [COHA])
25 Some early examples of bare or whatever occur in EEBO. They are clause- medial, not clause-
fi nal, and are probably best interpreted as elliptical, e.g.:
(i) Yet when he offereth signes withal, to helpe forth our infi rmities in faith according to his
worde, ey|ther natural as the rainebow, or artifi cial as the brasen ser|pent or miraculous, or
Sacra|mental, or whateuer (1582 Prime, A short treatise of the sacraments generally, and
in speciall of baptisme, and of the Supper [EEBO])
(ii) but commonly the last hath been, who is the King, whether called Emperour or Leader, or
whatever , hee is a King (1666 Row, Church and state [EEBO])