I hear "what for" (= why) in different forms alot more these days. Like
What the hell(/f.../sh../...) for? or What the (bloody/f.../sh../...) hell for?
And often in conversation about working life, we hear people lament over the purpose or meaning of their work like "I wonder -- what for." (This is not quite to "why" but more like "for what reward/award they worked to get".)
;-)