What's up with that?

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Dai Evans" <dai_evans at y...> wrote:
> Can some one explain what "What's up with that?" means?
> In the past few days this phrase has been used repeatedly over on 
the 
> movies list, and I'm at a loss to understand it.
> 
> Sometimes it seems to be used as a complement, and yet sometimes 
not. 
> Is it rhetorical? It certainly doesn't seem to make much sense.
> 
> I've noticed people will make an observation about the movie, and 
> then bolt this phrase onto the end,
> eg,
> "I noticed Madam Hooch had yellow cats eyes; What's up with that?"
> 
> It's being used again and again, over there, and everytime I see it 
I 
> stop and wonder.... what the hell does that mean? Is this poster 
> expecting an answer? If so, what is the question?
> 
> 
> Dai

As far as I am aware, there are two ways this can be interpreted, and 
I think it is a British/American spilt.

If I were in the UK, and I heard "What's up with that?" I would think 
that it would mean "What's the matter with that?" as in "What's up 
with So-and-so?"  Perhaps it is something specifically Northern, I 
don't know.

The other meaning is kind of slang, such as "What's happening with 
that?"  which can be rhetorical - this has developed into major slang 
from "What's up" (our meaning, meaning what's the matter) to Wassup!  
as in What's happening, to merely 'Sup!  as a greating.

In this context, it sounds as though it is what's happening with, 
rather than what's the matter with - and implies something out of the 
ordinary.

Hope this garbled explanation is helpful!

Catherine