What the heck was they delay back there?

Question

This is a sentence that a guy says in a film. (I copied it from subtitls)

He complains about the trian is delay in that film.

What the heck was they delay back there?

Can anyone explain it to me? Is it correct English?

Why it has two verb in the sentence? was and delay

what does it mean of "back there" in the sentence?

Can I only say, what the heck was they delay?

Why he uses "what" instead of "why"? Can I use "why"? What is the difference between what and why in the sentence?

Thank you so much.

Sambda · Accepted Answer

I think the sentence was probably, "What the heck was that delay back there?" or, "What the heck was the delay back there?" As you give it, the sentence does not make sense. The subtitles may have been wrong!

Delay is being used here as a noun, not a verb.

"Back there" as used here means "back along the railway line". The man is asking what caused the delay when they were further back along the line.

You cannot directly use "why" in that sentence (as a direct swap with "what"). If you want to use "why" you would say something like, "Why the heck was there a delay back there?"

What the heck was they delay back there?

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