[Ads-l] No = 'yes; truly'

[Joel Berson]

Give some credit to a Bostonian who does not balk at "tram".

Joel


      From: Chris Waigl <chris at LASCRIBE.NET>
 To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
 Sent: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 3:41 PM
 Subject: Re: [ADS-L] No = 'yes; truly'
   
On Wed, May 4, 2016 at 8:18 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> ME: Putin has already endorsed him.
>
> CHICAGO ATTORNEY:  No, no, they'll be compadres.
>
> It was clear to me that "compadres" emphasized what I'd said and didn't
> contradict it.
>
> In fact, the same speaker used the "No!" idiom a number of times. This was
> the easiest to remember, though.
>

​I've just had this sort of thing happen several times during a stay in
Boston. Example: I've arrived at the airport and am making my way to the
public transport exit. There's an automatic ticket dispenser, but I'm not
sure about the correct options. There's also an information desk right next
to it. This was our approximate exchange:

Information person: How are you getting into town?
Me: I'd like to take the tram. Blue line.
IP: You leave through THIS door and then turn left. Shuttle 55.
Me: Do I need a shuttle ticket?
​IP: It's complimentary.
Me, pointing to the ticket machine: Can I buy tickets there or do I have to
buy them here?
IP: You can get your ticket here.
Me: I understand that, but I wonder if there'll be another opportunity for
me to buy tickets at the other end.
IP: No, no, no, no, NO! You can buy tickets at the transit station.

(This seemed to be a native speaker, BTW, but with quite a lot of verbal
ticks and big gestures.)

-- 
Chris Waigl . chris.waigl at gmail.com . chris at lascribe.net
http://eggcorns.lascribe.net . http://chryss.eu

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