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I would have guessed that "eh?" is the informal version of "what?" As a
child, I was reprimanded for using "eh?" when I meant "What?" or, as my
mother insisted, I meant "Pardon?" There was a fashion (early 1900's?)
in England for adding a rather absurd "what?" at the end of statements
as in "Jolly good, what?" And in Canada perhaps that is expressed as,
"Nice job, eh?" Of course, this doesn't explain the mid-sentence "eh"
which seems to replace "um." I stress this is only a guess.
Jane Milton

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