I'm playing on a PC and am darned if I can get a shout to work. I hotkeyed it but when I press the number nothing happens. I know I'm walking into an ice wraith shortly and wanted to try it out. I find them very difficult to defeat.

Have you unlocked the shout by spending a dragon soul on it? Default key is "R" iirc.

On PC, you hit the z key.

Thanks, Fragonard. I was wearing my finger out clicking away at the mouse!

If you hot-keyed it, it might only make it the active Shout, not actually Shout for you. It's just like any other weapons, shields and spells - they are only equipped when pressing the number you set, no attack is carried out.

Curious, do you play with you HUD off? The reason I ask is when you learn your first shout there is an on screen message telling you how to shout, that is, "Press the Z key to Shout". If you HUD is turned off you wouldn't see it, the targeting reticle or the information compass on your screen.