what's the story
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]- (greeting): what's the story, bud; story, bud; story
Etymology
[edit]From What's the story with you?, possibly through Irish cad é an scéal (lit. "What's the story")[1] (possible backtranslation).
Interjection
[edit]- Requesting an explanation.
- What's the story with you and Janine? Are you dating or just friends?
- (idiomatic, Ireland, Dublin) A greeting; How are you?, What's up?
- 2012, Colin Murphy, Donal O'Dea, “18 - Saying 'What's the story?'”, in More Stuff Irish People Love[2], 2017 edition, The O'Brien Press Ltd, →ISBN:
- *Any non-Irish person should be aware that it is not necessary to take the question literally i.e. one shouldn't start to explain your life story when greeted with 'What's the story?' rather they should respond in kind e.g. Greeting: 'What's the story?' Response: 'What's the story?' There are several variations on the theme, the most popular being 'What's the story, bud?' or the pithy : 'Story, bud?' or the pithier still 'Story?'
References
[edit]- ^ Colin Murphy, Donal O'Dea (2012) “18 - Saying 'What's the story?'”, in More Stuff Irish People Love[1], 2017 edition, Dublin: The O'Brien Press, →ISBN, retrieved 15 January 2024: “And then there are those who like to use the Irish version: 'Cad é an scéal?' or simply 'Sceal?' Which leads to conversations like this: 'Cad é an scéal?' 'Scéal with you?' 'Story, bud?' 'What's the scéal?'”