Whoa vs. Woah
The English language changes over time, as we all use it to communicate our thoughts and ideas. New spellings can come into usage, and this is especially true with the explosion in informal communication that has come about as a result of the Internet and cell phone technology. But, just because people begin to use a spelling doesn't mean that it is considered correct. Let's look at whoa and woah as an example of spelling gone bad.
Whoa is an interjection that was originally used to mean "stop" in reference to an animal. Riders or drivers of horses or horse teams would yell whoa to the animal so that they would stop. The word has come to have other meanings as well: a way to say "stop" to other people or a way to say "wow" or show surprise.
1. Whoa, horse! This is our stop.
2. Whoa, Ted, you are walking way too fast for me to be able to keep up with you.
3. When she opened up the surprise birthday present, all Allison could think to say was , "Whoa!"
4. To get the team of horses to stop, pull back on the reins and say, "Whoa."
5. Whoa, Rudolph, it's not Christmas eve quite yet!
Whoa is the preferred spelling, and until about 10 years ago, was really the only spelling in usage. Woah has been seen more often in the past decade, but it is not included as an acceptable spelling in any dictionaries to date. So, before you decide to use woah, definitely think, "Whoa!"
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