What does 'excited much' or 'stalker much' mean exactly, and which context are they used in? I don't get the usage of much after a noun or adjective. I often see this construction in comments, for example.
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1You'll probably need to include a full sentence example or two to convey the context of your question.– Kristina LopezCommented May 27, 2013 at 16:01
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7@FumbleFingers - this is from young native speakers. It isn't standard English, but it is common slang.– Rory AlsopCommented May 27, 2013 at 17:50
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2@FumbleFingers: blame Joss Whedon (warning: black hole, ahem, sorry, TVTropes link)– MarthaªCommented May 27, 2013 at 18:21
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3The contexts I've heard X much? in general seem disparate to me: I've seen Jealous much? used in a taunting way that means "Shouldn't you be feeling jealous (of me) right now?" AND in a moderating way that means "Don't you think you're acting a bit too jealous?" Without inflection or other contextual cues, I don't think I can say with certainty what the speaker means.– user39720Commented May 27, 2013 at 18:31
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1@Martha: I've already spent more time on TVTropes than doctors would advise for lifetime exposure. Now I'm always careful to lay a trail of cookie crumbs between my bed and the keyboard before I venture in there!– FumbleFingersCommented May 27, 2013 at 20:31
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3 Answers
Mark Liberman of Language Log discusses the “X much?” idiom with a recent entry from OED (some emphasis mine, some examples omitted):
colloq. (orig. U.S., freq. ironic). With a preceding adjective, infinitive verb, or noun phrase, forming an elliptical comment or question. The use was popularized by the film Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and the television series derived from it.
1988 D. Waters Heathers (film script) 86 Heather Duke. It was J.D.'s idea! He made out the signature sheet and everything. Now will you sign it. Veronica. (queasy) No. Heather Duke. Jealous much?
1992 J. Whedon Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film script) 25 Pike and Benny have entered the diner, quite drunk.‥ Kimberly (to the other girls) Smell of booze much.
1998 M. Burgess & R. Green Isabella in Sopranos (television shooting script) 1st Ser. 1 42 Anthony Jr. Probably I can't go to that dance now either. Meadow. God, self-involved much?
Liberman notes that the idiom uses much in novel ways: “Jealous much?” insinuates that the target is quite jealous, whereas the conventional “Are you jealous much?” would inquire as to frequency, not intensity. He also notes how people use “X much?” even for words that don't easily expand to a full question: “Ad hominem much?” or “Martyr much?”
In my experience, the idiom ranges from whimsical to critical to sarcastic. Sometimes it's a teasing accusation, and sometimes it's even a boastful suggestion that the target should be “jealous much.” A similar idiom, “You mad bro?” has gained currency in recent years for cases where the target is angry.
answered May 27, 2013 at 20:56
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1@Antoine I certainly have! My 19-year-old daughter says it occasionally, for one. Commented Jun 3, 2013 at 19:53
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@Antoine That should actually be "You mad, bro?" with comma=pause.– MerkCommented Oct 30, 2013 at 6:13
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@Merk While we'd normally use a pause/comma when addressing someone like that, when I've heard “you mad bro” spoken it has unconventional intonation. In fact, it often lacks the intonation of a question, so it might best be transcribed without comma or question mark. Commented Oct 30, 2013 at 22:47
I think you are referring to a construction in which a characterization is presented in one word followed by the word much, read as a rhetorical question and intended as a criticism. It is not intended or imagined to be grammatically correct.
"Excited much?" would be "Do you get (this) excited often?" and is intended to paint the subject's enthusiasm as unwarranted and to suggest that it reflects on or represents the subject's general character.
"Stalker much?" is an attempt to portray behavior as stalker-like and would be grammatically written "Do you often behave like a stalker?"
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This seems to be quite commonly spoken amongst young teens (certainly in the UK I have heard it from some of my children's classmates) Commented May 27, 2013 at 17:50
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+1 Excellent answer (although I have also seen this idiom used whimsically and boastfully, not just critically). I added my own answer mainly to provide references and historical context, not because I disagree with you. Commented May 27, 2013 at 20:59
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5In the usage I've seen, this does not refer to frequency ("do you get excited much/often") and not is it a real question; more like a rhetorical question. It is more like "are you very ('much') excited?", but as I say, asked as a rhetorical question to imply that you are very excited, especially when perhaps you wouldn't be expected to be.– CaesarCommented May 27, 2013 at 23:17
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1@CaesarsGrunt: The tone of your comment is of disagreement, but the substance is more or less in agreement with the answer.– GetzelRCommented May 28, 2013 at 14:24
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1@caesarsgrunt is correct. It is not used to mean "Do you <something> often?" but rather "Are you really so very <something>?" The force of the much is the heart of what the phrase means, so not I think "a minor element."– user46705Commented Jun 28, 2013 at 12:38
I remember this first appearing (in the 80's) in the form of "walk much?" if someone trips or stumbles. Like "Are you new to this walking thing?" Or varieties like "eat much?" if someone drops food out of their mouth, "talk much?" if someone trips over their words, etc.
It later evolved into other uses that seemed a bit more affected.
