Whatcoubeh: what is it?
In schools, one term resonates particularly with young people: “Whatcoubeh”. It serves as a verbal trap, a clever tactic used by teens to confuse their peers, even adults, all captured on video for distribution on social media!
Concretely, the instigator of this game addresses deliberately obscure words to his so-called “victim”, often concluding with an enigmatic sentence, as the famous “Are you cramped?”
What is the purpose of the “Quoicoubeh”?
Encourage your interlocutor “who obviously doesn’t understand anything in principle” to ask for explanations by saying “What?”, a propitious moment to unveil the trap with a resounding “Quoicoubeh!”, as if to say “I got you on that one!”. A subtle game that has been spreading for months in the corridors of schools.
The Quoicoubeh: what is its origin and who invented it?
Some write it down “quoi cou beh”, “quoi kou beh” or “quoi koubeh”, the origin of this “invention” is associated with a certain “Camskola La Vache”@camskolavache, a TikToker passionate about onomatopoeia who is very active on the social network.
These phrases quickly made the rounds on TikTok, spreading virally. The hashtags #quoicoubeh and #apayinye have racked up millions of views. So much so that even the newscasts, in particular TF1 and M6, have devoted time to this topic, which is clearly of interest to all.
Moreover, as relayed by Le Point, the virality of the French neologism #quoicoubeh, with more than 100 million views on TikTok, and its diffusion through all generations apparently make it an unprecedented phenomenon!
We then let you watch the video that introduced the famous “Quoicoubeh”, entitled “Have you seen when Daronne talks like her it’s better to cut everything off.” :
@camskolavache Saw you when Daronne talks like her it’s better I cut everything off.. ♬ #fyp #pourtoi original sound – LaVache✪
Does the Quoicoubeh have a meaning in the French language?
Concerning the meaning of this term in the French languageWell, it doesn’t mean anything at all. This word is simply meaningless!
To put it simply, the Quoicoubeh would be a kind of pun intended, where the “What?” would be equated with “Cou A” and “Coubeh” with “Cou B”.
That being said, Auphélia Ferrera, who has a PhD in Language Science at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, points out on Europe 1 that teenagers sometimes create new ideas. new terms to refer to emerging realities or simply to reinforce their membership in a group. It seems that today’s young people need to create their own language to communicate with each other, without adults understanding what they are saying…
What do specialists think of the term Quoicoubeh?
According to the interview given to Le Point by Julie Neveux: “Language is made to construct meaning together, it’s dialogue. Now, really, whatcoubeh happens as a kind of interjection that undermines that, that dismantles the dialogical system. It’s like a kind of mini-challenge, a mini-nihilistic impulse that you throw at someone and that’s meant to wreak havoc on classical linguistic interaction.”
Discover his appearance on the program of Le Quotidien, entitled “Spoiler, what: stop panicking, the Frenchman is fine”:
However, for Auphélia Ferrera, the quoicoubeh is also a way to stand out from the crowd, especially in middle school or high school, where the pleasure sometimes lies in the fact that teachers do not understand the subtleties of the students’ language. According to the specialist, this is a kind of illustration that shows that French, like all other languages, is constantly evolving.
Are there other variants similar to the Quoicoubeh?
Yes, as surprising as it may seem, there are indeed other variants that emerge from this famous expression. If, for example, you respond to the other person by saying “Huh?” instead of “What?”, well, expect them to say “Heinpayaye” in return., an expression that is just as strange and insignificant as”Quoicoubeh”, can you imagine?
What are the other trending expressions among teenagers in France?
This expression of Arabic origin is commonly used to express admiration or wonder at something positive. Its literal translation, “As Allah has willed” or “according to the will of Allah,” emphasizes acceptance of God’s will.
It is an emotional expression of Arabic origin, which can literally be translated as “my darling” or “my love”. It is also used in a friendly way between loved ones to mean “my friend”.
This is a A well-known expression of schoolyards since the 1980s which always invites itself into the exchanges between teenagers. Far from seeking to enrich the conversation, this pun is actually created for the sole purpose of eliciting laughter. A simple “What? Fun! And here is a new joke that revolves around the word “hairdresser”.
“Starfoullah” or “Astaghfirullah”
As relayed by Doctissimo, “Starfoullah” or “Astaghfirullah” are expressions commonly used in French slang to express surprise or shock when faced with something inconvenient.
It is also an expression of Arabic origin, derived from “miskīn” which means “poor”, and retains its original meaning in English. It is frequently used to express contempt for someone who is considered pitiful. However, as relayed by Le Figaro, this word can also be used to express compassion towards someone who is going through a bad period in their life. The term is the origin of the French word “mesquin”, defined as “attached to that which is small, mediocre; who lacks generosity” according to the Le Robert dictionary.
“Ta les crampter”, “Ta les cramptés” or “T’as les crampter”
Same thing, this expression doesn’t make sense! It’s designed to confuse you and make you think you didn’t grasp the question to ask “what?” in order to better understand what the other person is trying to tell you. The trap then closes in on you, and you find yourself in a most delicate situation.
In the modern context, this term does not refer to the temperature as if to say “it’s cool”, but rather to a kind of satisfaction that arises from a given situation, as TF1 explains.
