I noticed something weird the other day: people juxtaposing "yeah" and "no" in the same comment. Then, I realised hear it (and say it) all the time.
Consider this sample conversation:
"Hey, I hear you have been on holiday! How was it?"
"Yeah, no, it was great. Nice and warm."
"Not like Tassie!" [laughter]
Or this conversation:
"How was dinner?"
"Yeah, no, it was fantastic! I think I put on a couple extra kilos."
The most common usage of this phrase:
"How are you?"
"Yeah, no, good. You?"
"Yeah, no, same."
Are Tasmanians perpetually unsure or something? Do we just need to contradict ourselves? Is it common in Tassie? Yeah, no, I think it is, because I hear it quite a bit.
The question is this: is the "yeah, no" ridiculousness confined to Tasmania, or has it spread?
Did you know, that the Polish word for 'yeah' is 'no'?
ReplyDeletebut the 'o' is pronounced the same as the 'o' in hot, not like the 'o' in 'bow'
I think it is more commonly used when someone asks a question such as:
ReplyDeleteQ: Do you want to do [Insert something you are not really interested in]?
A: Yeah... No, not really.
I don't know Jules - everytime I've heard it it has been to preface a positive statement. Maybe more pessimistic people use it your way! Hahaha
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard my friends say it but I have heard it on TV. It is very strange!!
ReplyDelete