What does "heck" mean in this sentence--"What the heck is going on?"?

Answer 1

1) "heck" is a euphemism for "hell". Either of these words, in the sort of expression you mention, are used simply "an intensifier to express surprise, anger, impatience, etc." The specific reference to the proper name is lost. Similarly with "for the hell of it". "We ran like hell" is another example of an intensifying use in which the place name is not in view.

As for this question-form, it is one of a whole set -

a) "What/How/Where/Who/Why the * * *?!"
b) "What/How/ in * * * ?"


2) The expression (the "***" I've been using) was originally added to these basic questions as a way of 'strengthening' them, that is expressing strong emotion, especially negative emotion such as anger, shock or disgust. Whatever word is used in the '***' place, these questions mean pretty much the same thing, though if the chosen word is considered more offensive, the question itself will be considered more so, and so the strength of EMOTION conveyed will likely be stronger. (How offensive or strong the term is considered to be will depend on the speaker and audience.)

3) The specific word used in the added expression may vary greatly. Originally it would be a "taboo word" -- especially a "swear word"

Earlier forms of the question would use stronger words, such as "the hell" or "in hell". Then substitutes -- weaker forms with the same basic meaning or even distorted forms of the original words-- would be used to "avoid swearing". Terms like "in/the (blue) blazes" or "the devil" would be first, then things like "in/the heck", "(the) deuce" and "(the) dickens" (used mainly because they have the same first letter as 'hell' and 'devil'). . . also "in tarnation" (distortion of "damnation").

4) There is an opposite set of these 'strong words' that might also be used -- such as "God" or "in God's name" or, in place of that "in heaven/in heaven's name". Note that both of these are solemn and "sacred" terms that are not considered wrong to use in themselves, but which one was not to MIS-use.

Technically, we could distinguish between two groups of words
a) "swear words" --used to take an oath -- such as "[I swear] in God's name"
b) "curse words" -- used IN a curse, to call down judgment on one's self (as when TAKING an oath) or others

But in practice these can sometimes become interchangeable when used colloquially to express strong feeling and such.

Note that one might ask a whole range of questions with these --- "What/Why/How.... in God's name. . . ?"

5) Probably the LATEST variations on all these are those using VULGAR terms (like s*** or f***), which more recently have been considered "swear words" (These are more properly called "profanity". The whole idea is that to use them --at least in certain contexts-- is to dishonor, treat lightly or as "profane" [common, 'vulgar'] things that are supposed to be honored as sacred or special. So, for instance, if a term used for sexual relations is considered vulgar or profane, that does NOT imply that the speaker thinks sex is bad, but often that they think it is a good and special thing that ought not to misused or treated lightly.)

6) "hell"/"devil" and the like also came to be used (perhaps through the uses suggested above --to intensify) as ways of speaking of something extraordinarily difficult (even impossible) or at least surprising. That notion may be paired with anger/outrage, disgust, etc., but may also stand on its own. Thus "how the devil/hell am I ever supposed to do that?!" might be directed AGAINST someone else (perhaps the one making the unreasonable demand), or be a more general expression of chagrin...

Thus these forms are often used to suggest that there IS no reasonable answer

Thus 'how the devil can I. . .?" may be used as a rhetorical question, with the implied answer, "You can't. It's impossible. There is no way it can be done."

And "What the * * * ?" is typically used to suggest that there is no reasonable EXPLANATION to be given for the thing, though this can have slightly different senses.

Main examples:

a) puzzlement - something like "Now that's odd! Hmm, that doesn't make any sense!"

b) a degree of frustration or anger (from mild to intense)- implying that the thing questioned is UNJUSTIFIED; whatever reason/excuse you may give me will not be adequate and, if I'm holding you responsible, will not be accepted (Note that if the anger is intense the speaker is expected use the stronger form, e.g., 'hell', rather than 'heck' though use of that form need not indicate great anger.)

c) (lightly) dismissing the whole matter or its consequences - "Who cares? It really doesn't matter." (This may be used to indicate that the speaker is not going to object to or respond to someone else's actions OR that they themselves are about to do or approve of something, not caring whether it makes sense or heedless of the consequences.)

Of course, "What the heck is going on?" would have to be used in sense (a) or (b)... and, as noted above, might express anger, but not the most intense anger.

Answer 2

Heck = hell. Yes.

Grammatically, you can consider this sentence as a fragment. "What the hell is going on?" doesn't really finish the thought. You may be asking what is "going on this?" or "going on here?" but we really don't know. Also, using Hell as the subject is rather superfluous. Yet again, there is really no object, as Hell is the subject, is going the verb, and on the "predicate" or object, though "on" can't be an object. Adding "here" is much more grammatically correct.

But, yes, in this sentence, Heck is the polite, although wrong, way to say Hell.

Answer 3

Contrary to popular belief this usage is not lazy or indecent nor is it as recent as many of you seem to think. At least as far back as the time of the American Revolution pls or plz was used in place of please in correspondence , again after the introduction of the telegraph, and most recently with the advent of text messaging, and all for the same reason, cost. During the early days of our country both paper and ink were expensive, so there were accepted methods of abbreviation to cram as much information into a letter as possible pls (or plz) was one example of this. When sending telegrams you were charged by the word (as in typing every 5 characters not actual words) so once again pls was used (among many other shortcuts u for you and so on) to make the sending of a message as cost effective as possible. As for text messaging, when first introduced, you may recall, we were charged per message we sent, so cutting letters out of messages meant a single text could be sent instead of two. It became a habit that carried over onto the internet, even though the need for the abbreviation no long exists,,,,to be fair though I am fairly sure you type OK or okay instead of Orl Korrekt which is the widely accepted original phrase the abbreviation came from, so can you really cast stones?

Answer 4

it's a euphemism for "hell"

If you already know that. It's just for emphasis.

What's going on?
What the hell is going on?
What the heck is going on?
What on earth is going on?
What the fu¢k is going on?
(They all basically mean the same)

Answer 5

"What is going on?" means "What is happening right now?"

If you add "heck," "hell," or "f-ck," you are effectively adding emphasis to the question.

"What the heck is going on?" usually implies that the asker is negatively surprised by what he or she sees happening at that moment.

Answer 6

heck is a less offensive slang term for hell.

What in the "HECK/HELL" is going on?

Answer 7

heck is euphemism for hell...you know what euphemism is..to replace a mild word for a more intense one...(like frig for ****)

Answer 8

another way of saying "what the hell is going on"

Heck = hell.

Answer 9

H- E- double-hockey-sticks

Answer 10

Can be interpreted as What the HELL is going on?