yeah, no

[Joel S. Berson]

At 7/16/2012 06:31 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>Right, I'm frequently told about "yeah, no", and the non-equivalent
>"no, yeah", when I talk (not infrequently) about negation.  I agree
>that "yes, no" is far less likely (and would indicate changing of
>mind, which "yeah, no" doesn't).

Then there's Jim Trott of the Parish Council of Dibley, whose
habitual utterance is "No-no-no-no-no; yes".  (When he agrees.)  His
wife Doris,  in the mold of Mrs. Jack Spratt, habitually says
"Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes; ...".

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org