What about "how about"?

Question

I'm ashamed to admit, I don't know the difference between "what about" and "how about". Once I wrote "how about" on this group and someone oy!-ed me. Thereafter I only used "what about" and tried to avoid it as much as possible.

I noticed many native speakers using what/how about with ease, which I trully admire, I'd love to emulate it, but so far I couldn't distinguish any pattern to help me tell them apart.
Can a gentle soul give me one example for each (what and how) correct usage?

Gratefully yours,
AR

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I'm ashamed to admit, I don't know the difference between "what about" and"how about". Once I wrote "how about" on this group and someone oy!-ed me. Thereafter I only used "what about" and tried to avoid it as much as possible.[/nq]
Difficult one - at first I couldn't think of real differences, but there are some subtle ones.
One obvious exception is in constructions like "What about the book didn't you like?", but that's not the same thing.
"How about" doesn't have to be a question; it can just a general comment: "Well how about that!"
"What about" can be used to signify that you've just remembered something, "Oh dear...what about the dogs?
We can't leave them alone for two weeks". You definitely can't use 'how' here.

"How about" usually is for a throwing up a suggestion: "How about leaving them with Mum?" (You could use 'what' here, but 'how' would more natural for me)

"What about" is good when you're running through a list of possibilities and asking about each. "We could ask the neighbours. I don't think Fred next door would do it, but what about Sally over the road?" (again, 'how' would not be wrong here, but perhaps less likely).
I'm sure someone will think of a more concrete rule to separate them, but there's definitely a deal of overlap between the two.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm sure someone will think of a more concrete rule to separate them, but there's definitely a deal of overlap between the two.[/nq]
(Note: not a 'great deal'...I remember someone recently mused here that 'deal' can't be used on its own. But this came out naturally enough for me).

Usenet · Answer

Too subtle for my intellect...
[nq:1]"How about" doesn't have to be a question; it can just a general comment: "Well how about that!"[/nq]
I'm going to utter this casually as soon as possible, hoping that I'd sound more American.
[nq:1]"What about" can be used to signify that you've just remembered something, "Oh dear...what about the dogs? We can't leave them alone for two weeks". You definitely can't use 'how' here.[/nq]
I think I got it. Thank you very much.
[nq:1]"How about" usually is for a throwing up a suggestion: "How about leaving them with Mum?" (You could use 'what' ... do it, but what about Sally over the road?" (again, 'how' would not be wrong here, but perhaps less likely).[/nq]
Now, that's a bit confusing.The name of a movie just popped into my mind, "What about Bob"?, a crappy comedy. Can "What" be replaced with "How"?
Again, I thank you very much for your time and patience.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]"How about" doesn't have to be a question; it can just a general comment: "Well how about that!"[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm going to utter this casually as soon as possible, hoping that I'd sound more American.[/nq]
I doubt that, but I'm not an AmE speaker.
[nq:2]"What about" is good when you're running through a list ... 'how' would not be wrong here, but perhaps less likely).[/nq]
[nq:1]Now, that's a bit confusing.The name of a movie just popped into my mind,"What about Bob"?, a crappy comedy. Can "What" be replaced with "How"?[/nq]
Depends on what is meant. If it was "oh no, we forgot Bob", then "how" would be wrong.
In other contexts it might be OK, but I'd say "what about" stands a bit better on its own when there's no context, and it's obviously a question.

Usenet · Answer

I have no idea what the title means. I hope I didn't stimulate your interest to see the movie just to figure out the title, because it's a waiste of time.

Usenet · Answer

(snip discussion of "what about" and "how about")
[nq:1]Now, that's a bit confusing.The name of a movie just popped into my mind, "What about Bob"?, a crappy comedy. Can "What" be replaced with "How"?[/nq]
In that case, "What about..." implies a problem.
We're all ready to leave now.
But what about Bob? What are we going to do about him?

At most, it could be neutral.
And then there's always Bob.
What do you mean? What about him?
"How about..." would be a suggestion or recommendation.

We need to hire someone.
How about Bob? He could do it.
Some people might put "what" there, but "how" sounds right to me. It's slightly higher on the positive-negative scale.
"How about" is a nice way to preface a suggestion. More effective, I find, than the common "Why not..." or "Why don't you..." which tend to make people think about why they won't.

Best - Donna Richoux

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I'm ashamed to admit, I don't know the difference between "what about" and "how about".[/nq]
No shame needed. I can't think of a real difference. "How about" is a shade less formal to my ear, but that's splitting hairs because both expressions are quite informal.
[nq:1]Once I wrote "how about" on this group and someone oy!-ed me. Thereafter I only used "what about" and tried to avoid it as much as possible.[/nq]
Can you find that thread again on Google groups? Post a link to it, and it might turn out that some of us disagree with the oy!er.

Regards,
Mark Barratt

Usenet · Answer

I don't think I can find any difference between them in meaning or use. I too would like to see that "Oy!" in context.

Mike.

Usenet · Answer

(Email Removed) abed:
[nq:1]Can you find that thread again on Google groups? Post a link to it, and it might turn out that some of us disagree with the oy!er.[/nq]
Itym "oyster". (Or is that term reserved for one who regularly oys, whereas 'oyer' refers to one who does so on a specific occasion?)

Michael Hamm
AM, Math, Wash. U. St. Louis
(Email Removed) Standard disclaimers: http://math.wustl.edu/~msh210/ ... legal.html

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Can you find that thread again on Google groups? Post ... turn out that some of us disagree with the oy!er.[/nq]
[nq:1]Itym "oyster". (Or is that term reserved for one who regularlyoys, whereas 'oyer' refers to one who does so on a specific occasion?)[/nq]
No, an oyer terminates. An oy!er is different. On the analogy of "brewer" and "brewster", an oyster is a female oy!er. I've got this wrong in the past.
Mike.

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