What’s Happening?

1. What is another?
   • The word another is a single word that combines an (the article) and other (meaning “different” or “additional”).
   • Example: “Let’s try another way.” (another = “an additional one”)
2. How does a whole nother form?
   • When people want to emphasize another, they sometimes insert whole (a word that intensifies meaning) into the middle.
   • Instead of saying: “That’s a whole other story,” they end up with “That’s a whole nother story.”

   Here’s the breakdown:

   • The word another is split into a and nother, which isn’t correct because nother isn’t a real word. It’s a misinterpretation of another.

Is It Acceptable?

• In Formal English: No. This construction is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in writing or formal speech.
• In Informal English: Yes, it’s widely understood and used for conversational emphasis. People often say it because it rolls off the tongue easily, and it’s become a common idiomatic expression.

How Should It Be Corrected?

To stay grammatically correct, you can say:

• “That’s a whole other story.”
• “That’s an entirely different story.”

Both options are correct and convey the same meaning.

Fun Fact:

The phrase a whole nother is an example of tmesis, a linguistic phenomenon where a word or phrase is split and another word is inserted in the middle. While tmesis can sometimes be playful and creative in literature or speech, it isn’t standard grammar.