# 'Yeah, no' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816 "2014-11-16T23:37:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/21 "2014-11-27T00:25:53Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > “Yeah, no” is said with the ‘yeah’ part said in a very _looooong_, skeptical, disbelieving way; follwed by a quick and flat “no”. > [@Duke\_of\_York](#): > > Not in Melbourne. But in the United States, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/22 "2014-11-27T00:44:28Z")
> [@HowSoonIsThen](#): > > Also, I think some people find simply saying “no” to be rude. They probably add the yeah to sound less contrarian. “See, I’m not disagreeing. Yeah. I mean, no. But yeah”. The really weird thing is that when I give someone a flat “No” as a response (usually with an explanation, but starting with a “No”), sometimes the other person does an awkward chuckle, as if they’re somehow trying to lighten the tone on my behalf. I also hear “Sooooooo, no.” used to similar effect as “Yeaaaaah, no.” ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/23 "2014-11-27T17:01:51Z")
I’m with TruCelt on this one. I do say this on a regular basis. The “yeah” part is the acknowledgement of the question/statement and the “no” part is simply my answer/response. Very straightforward as far as my usage goes. Most of us have probably said the counterpart: “Yeah, yes,” or “Yeah, sure.” ---
**Author:** ![susanlinda823](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@susanlinda823](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susanlinda823)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/24 "2014-11-28T21:28:52Z")
Hahaha, I say this when I am being a smartass. When someone asks me if I want to do something I dont want to. I go ya!..no. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/25 "2014-11-28T23:44:01Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_York](#): > > Most sportsman on Australian TV start their answer to any question with,“Yeah, No”. I had an Australian friend who would say “Yeah, no,” all the time. He’s fond of cricket. So maybe it’s either an Australian thing, or a sports thing, or an Australian sports thing. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/26 "2014-11-29T00:50:00Z")
Standard curt sarcastic response to a sarcastic question from someone who asks if you enjoyed something they know you won’t, especially if they list fake (or even better, plausible) reasons why you should like it. The “yeah” can act as an acknowledgement of their bait. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/27 "2014-11-29T00:54:52Z")
[What do you mean, “Yeah, nah”?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srE57FURiZU) This Kiwi anti-drinking commercial sums it up pretty well: yes, I acknowledge your question and have considered it; however the answer is in the negative. No more beersies! ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/28 "2014-11-29T01:36:45Z")
I’ve never heard the long drawn out yeah followed by an emphatic no here in America, but I hear “yeah, no” all the time. It seems to be an acknowledgement of the question followed by a negative response, as others posted. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/29 "2014-11-29T02:46:21Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > I’ve never heard the long drawn out yeah followed by an emphatic no here in America, but I hear “yeah, no” all the time. It seems to be an acknowledgement of the question followed by a negative response, as others posted. I haven’t heard the yeah drawn out either, and though I hear it often, it’s always sarcasm, not acknowledging the question. Always. ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/30 "2014-11-29T03:41:39Z")
I say this. I grew up mostly in Southern California. The “yeah” confirms the question, and the “no” is a contradiction to the tone of the conversation that would have implied that I wasn’t expected to say it was great. I think. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816/31 "2014-11-30T00:33:41Z")
Annoying, but not nearly as annoying as when I asked a clerk if the specialty store carried a particular product and he responded with “We sure 🙂 don’t :(”. The smilies are my reaction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-no/704816.md?page=1)