Why do people ask "What?" after a question and still answer it?

[Jagzz]

Yeah..

Why do people do this?

[helping]

What?

 

It's usually just a habit to give them some time to think about an answer. 

 

or they're nervous/awkward 

[Scottonpc]

What do you mean exactly?

[mopman94]

Because they do not properly hear so the initial reaction is to say what but in the time they are saying what their brain has pieced together what you have said from the bits they have heard and the context of the conversation.

[Erik4boss]

Your not sure you heard right and say what? and then you say the thing.

[Jagzz]

What do you mean exactly?

Person 1: Did you watch the video Linus uploaded yesterday?

Person 2: What? Oh, yea i did.

[Imabigmac]

Because they don't get it then it just suddenly clicks and they have an answer, and most times the questions are worded very strange.

[Scottonpc]

Person 1: Did you watch the video Linus uploaded yesterday?

Person 2: What? Oh, yea i did.

I guess the person instead of saying "uhmm" they say "what" because they are probably tired or thinking of something else. I don't notice it when someone asks a simple question though

[DrVendetta]

Sometimes it is because the person was listening, but not really thinking about the question. So they say what, then they think about the question, and then they respond.

[Worth]

My football coach would make people run for doing this. He thinks it's rude. He would say, "Don't you what me!"

[Pounds]

If I do it, it would be to convey that I don't understand completely what the person is asking, but I want to answer the question I "think" they are asking.

[Purple]

Person 1: Did you watch the video Linus uploaded yesterday?

Person 2: What? Oh, yea i did.

They're not paying attention lol. 

[zxcvbnmmssdh]

My football coach would make people run for doing this. He thinks it's rude. He would say, "Don't you what me!"

TAKE OFF