The correct spelling of the phrase "gotten lather" is often debated, with some preferring "got a lather" or "got in a lather" instead. The pronunciation of "gotten" in American English is typically /ˈɡɑtn̩/, while the word "lather" is pronounced /ˈlæðər/. The spelling "gotten" is a past participle form that was more commonly used in British English, but fell out of favor in American English after the Revolutionary War. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and regional dialect.
Gotten lather is a colloquial expression primarily used in American English that refers to a state of excitement, agitation, or anger that someone has reached, often as a result of a particular situation or event. The phrase typically implies a heightened emotional state where someone becomes worked up or intensely involved in a situation.
The term "gotten" is the past participle form of the verb "get," which here conveys the idea of having achieved or arrived at a certain state. "Lather" refers to a frothy substance that forms when soap or shaving cream is agitated vigorously, thereby emphasizing the idea of excitement or agitation in this context.
"Gotten lather" could be likened to the image of a person who has lathered themselves into a frothy, bubbling state, reflecting their heightened emotional state and the flurry of energy surrounding them. It can be used to describe someone who has become extremely agitated, animated, worked up, or emotionally stirred. This expression is often used in informal conversations or storytelling to convey a sense of intensity or heightened emotions, and is commonly heard in idiomatic phrases such as "he's gotten himself all lathered up about it" or "she worked herself into a right lather over that issue."