Whine = Whinge?

PosterChild · #1 10-19-2002, 11:54 PM

I've seen a bit of whingeing on the boards and I was wondering how common it is to say "whinge" (pronounced "winj) rather than "whine" (pronounced "wine").

Quote:

Main Entry: whinge
Pronunciation: 'hwinj, 'winj
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): whinged; whing·ing or whinge·ing
Etymology: from (assumed) Middle English, from Old English hwinsian; akin to Old High German winsOn to moan
Date: 12th century
British : to complain fretfully : WHINE

Does that last line mean British use whine? If so where is it common?
Would that joke about a WASP (White AngloSaxon Protestant) wine being, "but I wanted a Beemer, not a Mercedes!" fall flat in England (or wherever) because it's pronounced "whinge?"

PC

Sternvogel · #2 10-20-2002, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PosterChild
I've seen a bit of whingeing on the boards and I was wondering how common it is to say "whinge" (pronounced "winj) rather than "whine" (pronounced "wine").
Does that last line mean British use whine? If so where is it common?

Australia, judging by the term's use by posters from "Down Under" on other boards I frequent. When I first saw "whinge", I assumed it was a typo, but looked it up and discovered it was indeed a word.

elfkin477 · #3 10-20-2002, 12:23 AM

I've been told by brits on another board that they do use whine, but whinging is a more extreme form of complaining. Maybe some UK/OZ posters can confirm or deny that.

Richard Pearse · #4 10-20-2002, 12:36 AM

Whinge = whine in New Zealand and Australia as far as I can tell. It's a little more specific though. Dogs can whine but they can't whinge.

Essured · #5 10-20-2002, 12:40 AM

'whinge' or 'whinging' is used in Australia a lot. Where I live it outweighs the use of 'whine' by about 80% It may be different in other areas of Australia, though.

Essured · #6 10-20-2002, 12:42 AM

Now I have to have a whinge about Skogcat beating me to the punch !

Iteki · #7 10-20-2002, 07:57 AM

Whinge is used a lot in Ireland too. As somone mentioned it has a slightly more extreme tone than whine. For example "Stop yer whinging" feels more unjust than "Stop your whining".
Whinging also has (for me) the implication that the one doing it is less justified in their complaint, worse to be a whinger than a whiner.

peepthis · #8 10-20-2002, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PosterChild
Does that last line mean British use whine? If so where is it common?

No, it means that in Britain they use "whinge." As noted by others already, it's generally understood to be a more intense or exaggerated whining.

everton · #9 10-20-2002, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PosterChild
Would that joke about a WASP (White AngloSaxon Protestant) wine being, "but I wanted a Beemer, not a Mercedes!" fall flat in England (or wherever) because it's pronounced "whinge?"

The explanations you've had are broadly correct, but I'd add that because whining is a noise and whinging is an attitude of mind you can whine while you're whinging but not the other way around.

There are two reasons why the joke might fall flat:
1. it's not a very funny joke
2. WASP isn't an instantly-recognisable social category over here