what'sa mattern.
colloquial or nonstandard.
‘What is the matter?’ Cf. whassa n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > making inquiries [phrase]
how so?a1375
what, how seemeth you?1485
what reck?a1513
what is the matter?c1520
what about ——1662
what's the row?1810
how come?1848
whassa1906
since when?1907
what'sa matter1935
1935 New Yorker 12 Jan. 18/3 What'sa metta with Kitty Shapiro?
1950 Commentary Sept. 255/2 ‘Whatsa~matter,’ he shouted at Rosa, ‘you want her blood?’
1960 ‘E. McBain’ Heckler (1962) xiv. 136 Whattsa matter? Something wrong?
1977 D. E. Westlake Nobody's Perfect (1978) ii. i. 102 Whatsa matter don't you wanna go home!!!
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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n.1935