"なんてこったい こりゃいったい" is this some kind of slang?


I've come across something and always wondered about it, what is the meaning
of

> "なんてこったいこりゃいったい"?

I assume (but I'm not quite sure) that it's this: to show disbelief or
surprise

Also, is this something actually used? (and if it is, in what context?)




> なんてこったいこりゃいったい

is a colloquial, slurred pronunciation of 「なんてことだい、これはいったい」

which is a reversed version (倒置) of 「これはいったい、なんてことだい？」

To break it down...

なんて -- pronoun [何]{なん} + case particle (っ)て; ≂「なんという」  
こったい -- noun こと (事) + copula だ + sentence ending particle い (≂よ)  
こりゃ -- pronoun これ + particle は  
いったい -- noun 一体 (used for emphasis in questions; "on earth")

So it _literally_ means... "What kind of thing on earth is this?" "What on
earth is the matter?" -- used as an exclamation, like "What the hell is this?"

