What does What Ever mean? When asked to explain, my teenage daughter simply said, “it means - whatever!” Of course … how can I be so stupid?

I used to get really upset when I heard “whatever”. Someone on television once said it means F.U. But I don’t think so. I have come to the conclusion that it has various meanings. You have to go by context.

• When I’m nagging... “Did you make dinner?” “The dishes are still in the sink!” or “When are you going to vacuum?” – The “Whatever” response means “be quiet” or “shut up”.
• When I’m asking if she wants to do this or that (and neither choice is particularly appealing), “Whatever” means “I don’t care”.
• If I ask an opinion on something, “These shoes or these ones?” “What do you think of the election?” and get “Whatever”… it means: “I don’t know or I don’t care.”
• When I mention another teen car accident on the news – “Whatever” is “I’ve heard it all before, you’re repeating yourself.”

How do you tell the difference? I think it depends on the emphasis and whether or not it is one or two word expression.

Whatever – I don’t care; I don’t know; I’ve heard it all before.

What EVER – is ticked off; meaning, “be quiet” (it’s better than what she IS thinking); and finally, when prefaced by “like” as in “Like… whatevverr” it’s a throw away when she doesn’t know what to say.

I am sure there are many other meanings to this versatile term that I don’t want to know; and Heaven help the parent that misinterprets a “whatever”! It’s almost as annoying as “like”. However, we continue to try to figure out our teenagers, but Oh Man … we never had a saying like that!