In the North-East of England, where I live, the word "howwa" is used to mean "that thing".
It is pronounced like "shower" and could be used in the following contexts:
Can't you get it to work? Pass the howwa here.
or
I was trying to find the pub but it was an hour before I found the howwa!
or even about a person:
He's the howwa who sold me the car.
Although I hear it regularly, I have no idea where it comes from. Any ideas?
Best Answer
I couldn't find much about howwa in the way of etymology or even a definition (but I'll keep looking), and suspect the word is much older, but the oldest references I could find on the Sunderland Message Boards at readytogo.net are from 2010. Here's four referring to things or people:
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/jewels-remain-still-gleaming.495464/#post-7862277
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/toy-day-at-school-la.501311/#post-7981560
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/the-inbetweeners-the-neet.524094/#post-8455786
http://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/anyone-fancy-streaking-along-roker-beach.527848/#post-8537546