Antedating of Yeah [Was: flay / flea (and other "ea" words)]

[Baker, John]

Here's a significant antedating of "yeah," to 1863.  It depicts the first meeting of Viola Vennond, a beautiful and refined young woman, just taken captive by Crow Indians, and Sam Redzel, who lives with the Indians and seems to be the villain of the story.  "Yeah" is a characteristic term for Redzel, and he uses it particularly in this early passage.  His use seems to me to be entirely modern.
 
<<"So they've got you, hev they?" he queried.
"Yes; I have been a prisoner some time."
"Yeah, like it much?"
"I am treated very kindly, although, of course, I should prefer to be with my own kindred."
"Yeah.  Wal, being we're both white, or leastways I _pretend_ to be, we mought as well git acquainted.  My name is _Sam Redzel."_
"Viola Vennond is mine."
"Yeah.  Dunno as I ever heard it.  From the States?"
"Yes; from Kentucky."
"Yeah.  Wal, I'm from the States, too, and hev tramped around considerable; but I got among a lot of ---- rascals, and 'cluded as how redskins were as good as any, and so I've took up with 'em.  You 'quainted with any trappers?">>
 
 
On the Plains, or, The Race for Life; A Story of Adventure in the Black Hills 20 (1863) (Google Books full text).  No author is given in the text itself, but Google Books says that the author was Edward Sylvester Ellis and includes the following note:  "'On the Plains was originally two stories published under the pseudonym Latham C. Carleton, The Hunters and The Trappers' Retreat.' -- Graff."
 
 
John Baker
 

________________________________

From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 12:14 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: flay / flea (and other "ea" words)



We discussed the strange history of "yeah" some time back. My interpretation
is that the word of assent must go way back in speech, but I remain troubled
by the startling paucity of clear-cut exx., no matter how spelled, before
around 1900.

I've never heard of "shea butter" either.

JL

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