"Yeah, yeah," New York, 1961

[Garson O'Toole]

Fascinating precursor! Thanks for sharing it Stephen.
Garson

On Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 6:08 AM, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
> Subject:      "Yeah, yeah," New York, 1961
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Mr. Gallagher.....One of the things that bothers me is that I don't think you can argue two negatives, therefore say those two negatives are so and therefore it is positive that you are discriminating. I say, just give us one case in the Edison Co. where we are charged with discrimination and we will go all out. We don't think we can be charged with discrimination just because you say, "You don't do this or that."
>
> Mr. Roosevelt. Also, sound logic says, if you don't do something, it is pretty good proof that you don't do it.
>
> Mr. Zelenko. There is a local expression in New York which says, "Yeah, yeah," which means no.
>
>
> Labor-management irregularities. Hearings before the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Eighty-seventh Congress, first session. Investigation of discrimination in employment and irregularities in the field of labor-management relations. Hearings held in New York, N. Y., June 3 and 24, 1961.
> by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Education and Labor.
> Published 1961
>
> http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015039505717;view=image;seq=82;q1=%22There%20is%20a%20local%20expression%20in%20New%20York%20which%20says%22%20AND%20%20%22Yeah%2C%20yeah%22;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=68
>
> Stephen Goranson
> www.duke.edu/~goranson
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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