# Yeah, No... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670 "2011-01-15T02:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/1 "2011-01-15T02:29:07Z")
This is _probably_ one of those “critical mass” things where I finally got overexposed to something to the point that it started bugging me a bit, and then, oversensitized, noticed it everywhere when actually it had been there all along… maybe. Here’s the deal: one of my girlfriends keeps saying “yeah, no” in conversation. The usual pattern is something like this: Her: My lips are chapped but it’s so cold the chap stick is so hard it hurts to smear it on my lips Me: I know, that’s why I don’t like those. I use this skiers lip balm instead, it’s easier to use. Her: Yeah, no. I think that stuff is better too but I can’t always find it. I _guess_ it parses like “yeah (I agree with the point you just made) / and no (I wasn’t intending to assert otherwise, lest you think maybe I did)” – ?? … but she does it all the time and then I started noticing that she does it all the time… BUT umm now I notice that _SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE_ ?~!??!??? Is it just me? Is it only me who isn’t in on the meme? What’s the deal? poll forthcoming… ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/2 "2011-01-15T02:51:07Z")
I’ve heard the phrase before, or something similar, but not often at all. But I get your point about the critical mass bit. “Yeah, no…” sounds a bit weaselly to me though, sort of like Lumberg in _Office Space_. “Yeah, we’re gonna have to move you to the Pit of Despair. If you could just stomp on some rats, that’d be great. Okay? Fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/3 "2011-01-15T02:56:54Z")
Does it always occur as a prefix to “A _but_ B” statements? Sort of indicating that the answer will be going in two directions? In effect, “_Yeah_, I think that stuff is better too. But _no_, [I don’t use it because] I can’t always find it.” ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/4 "2011-01-15T02:57:58Z")
I use it rarely, in a sarcastic or biting context. Usually spoken but occasionally typed. Example: Stupid Tank: That shaman is an idiot, he should have re-hexed his raid mark after I broke it! Smart Healer: Yeah no, hex has a 45 second cooldown, shit-for-brains. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/5 "2011-01-15T03:01:13Z")
I’ve only ever heard it as “Yeaaaaaaahhhhhh… no.” as in “I’m considering your suggestion, aaaaaand, you’re a moron.” ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/6 "2011-01-15T03:11:04Z")
My friend from NY does this all the time in conversation. “Do you like this?” “Yeah. No, it’s really nice.” “You didn’t answer me.” “Yeah? No, I did.” It drives me nuts, but he’s from NY and therefore unreprogrammable. So I just let him wander around like a verbal landmine. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/7 "2011-01-15T03:14:04Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I’ve only ever heard it as “Yeaaaaaaahhhhhh… no.” as in “I’m considering your suggestion, aaaaaand, you’re a moron.” That’s exactly how I use it. Not all that often. Usually in a funny way, because otherwise it would be pretty assy. Ultimately meaning, “NO.” ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/8 "2011-01-15T03:35:21Z")
In the OP conversation, I kinda pictured it as “yeah, I know” all smushed together. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/9 "2011-01-15T03:52:33Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I’ve only ever heard it as “Yeaaaaaaahhhhhh… no.” as in “I’m considering your suggestion, aaaaaand, you’re a moron.” Oh, sure. The contrast between the drawn-out _yeah_ and the quick _no_ cutting it off. I took the OP to mean that the words were pronounced as equivalents–like, on the one hand, on the other. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/10 "2011-01-15T03:55:11Z")
Oh, I did too, I’ve just never actually heard it that way. Apparently it’s a verbal tic that hasn’t made it’s way to Boston yet. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/11 "2011-01-15T04:04:42Z")
I don’t think I’ve heard it much, but when I do start to hear it, I’m sure it will irritate me, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/12 "2011-01-15T04:11:32Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I’ve only ever heard it as “Yeaaaaaaahhhhhh… no.” as in “I’m considering your suggestion, aaaaaand, you’re a moron.” This is how I’ve heard/said it as well. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/13 "2011-01-15T04:17:04Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > I took the OP to mean that the words were pronounced as equivalents–like, on the one hand, on the other. Yes, this, and not yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, NO. Just Yeah. No. Like someone flooring the accelerator and jamming on the brakes at the same time. Seriously disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/14 "2011-01-15T04:25:18Z")
[This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvSJY3Xiwdg) is what the OP was referring to. It starts at 3:00. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/15 "2011-01-15T04:28:10Z")
The way it’s always parsed in my circles is: Yeah _I heard what you just said,_ no _that’s not even close to correct._ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b77776/32.png) [@The\_Jay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Jay)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/16 "2011-01-15T04:28:57Z")
I thought this was just an Aussie thing! We tend to say it all the time and I tend to think it’s meaning is more like this. “I thought you were going to the movies?” “yeah (we were originally/I can see why you thought that), no we’re going to dinner instead” EDIT: yes also as feppytweed said ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/17 "2011-01-15T08:35:26Z")
I don’t recall ever hearing it, and I’m still not sure what it means. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/18 "2011-01-15T09:05:23Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Oh, I did too, I’ve just never actually heard it that way. Apparently it’s a verbal tic that hasn’t made it’s way to Boston yet. Yeah, no it hasn’t made it out here either, oh, I think it just arrived :eek: ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/19 "2011-01-15T09:16:30Z")
Yeah, no don’t use it. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670/20 "2011-01-15T09:47:34Z")
Yeah, no that’s one of ours alright. [Read all about it 😉](http://cassowarycrossing.com.au/features/yeah-no/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/567670.md?page=2)