oh-oh! uh-uh! (ekse: Hawaiian loanwords)

[R K Henderson]

I would submit the Jargon itself as persuasive evidence that uh-huh and
uh-uh are of New World origin. In many Jargon traditions, a nasal version
of "uh huh" is the word for yes. My grandfather used it (the Eh-heh I
mentioned earlier). Since joining this group I've noticed some people use
Nowitka for yes, which my grandfather reserved for emphatic agreement
only. In that case, sometimes he'd stack them: "Eh-heh nowitka, tenas
elaka."

That, and the fact that the British don't say "uh-huh" and "uh-uh," and
laugh at colonials for doing so (though with the Americanisation of world
media, this is probably changing), indicate that this tradition
originated in the New World.

Also, I read as much many years ago. Can no longer site the source,
though.