"REALLY?"

    Has anyone else noticed the recent trend of using "really?" to communicate more of a tone of indignation rather than surprise or disbelief?  So it's more like "you actually have the nerve to do that [to me]?" as opposed to "you're kidding!" or "wow!"
    I first saw it in a commercial for Travelocity, where there was a hipster website-developer-type guy whose hotel room was made into a living hell by construction noise.  Every time he'd try to ask his girlfriend where his flip-flops were, a jackhammer would start up and drown out his words.  Finally, he rolled his eyes, flung out his hands and said, "Really?"
    Now I hear it everywhere -- it's the new "kewl" or "suh-weet."  Funny how that happens.

Comments

[jo]

Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler had a recurring Weekend Update segment called "Really!?!" which worked on the SNL principle that what is funny the first time is side-splittingly hilarious the thousandth time. Their bit may have aided the proliferation of "really," though their tone was more heavily sarcastic, conveying "your stupidity leaves me lost for words, you unbelievable asstard."