# Yeah yeah yeah is a stupid expression. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 23, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868 "2008-02-23T18:51:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/1 "2008-02-23T18:51:47Z")
You do not need to use the same word three times when once will do. Further, yeah sounds stupid - just use yes. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/2 "2008-02-23T18:54:45Z")
Didn’t one of the Wart Hogs on the Smurfs say “yeah yeah yeah” all the time? Other than that, I’ve never heard anyone say this. ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/3 "2008-02-23T18:54:54Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] You do not need to use the same word three times when once will do. Further, yeah sounds stupid - just use yes. [/QUOTE] Worked for Lennon/McCartney. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/4 "2008-02-23T18:58:59Z")
Possibly apocryphal story: A linguist was lecturing to a crowded hall, and pointed out that, while double negatives indicate a positive in many languages, there’s no language in which a double positive indicates a negative. Someone in the back of the hall shouted, “Yeah, right!” Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/5 "2008-02-23T19:00:58Z")
😃 Very funny, **Left Hand of Dorkness**. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/6 "2008-02-24T00:49:00Z")
Bitch, bitch, bitch. Just kidding. “Yeah yeah yeah,” to my ear, does mean something quite different from a simple yes, and different from a “yeah, right!” It indicates that, although possibly accurate, your interlocutor’s observation is too obvious/irrelevant/banal for a mother’s tears. Come to think of it, “bitch, bitch, bitch” has a meaning distinct from a lone “bitch,” as well, as “me, me, me” does from just “me” and “tick, tick, tick” does from “tick.” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/7 "2008-02-24T00:51:53Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] You do not need to use the same word three times when once will do. Further, yeah sounds stupid - just use yes. [/QUOTE] People are using this expression to you? Hint: they don’t mean yes. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/8 "2008-02-24T01:03:09Z")
I liked “Maps” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/9 "2008-02-24T01:08:49Z")
But **Two and a Half Inches of Fun** “yes” doesn’t mean “you’re an insufferable bore/nag” to you, though, does it? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/10 "2008-02-24T01:12:29Z")
Unfortunately, it’s the only way to get rid of the Hatrocks. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/11 "2008-02-24T01:18:33Z")
Do you think there’s too many states nowadays too? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/12 "2008-02-24T01:20:22Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] But **Two and a Half Inches of Fun** “yes” doesn’t mean “you’re an insufferable bore/nag” to you, though, does it? [/QUOTE] The way I have hearing it more of an enthusiastic yes. For example: A: We should go see There Will Be Blood again. B: Yeah yeah yeah, that movie was awesome. A: Did you go to Herbie Hancock concert last? B: Yeah yeah yeah, it was great. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/13 "2008-02-24T01:22:22Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] You do not need to use the same word three times when once will do. Further, yeah sounds stupid - just use yes. [/QUOTE] Of course it’s redundant. The person saying it is subtly conveying the message “Yes, I’ve heard this a bunch of times before, you don’t need to keep repeating it!” by using “yeah” repetitiously. I also disagree with your opinion of the word “yeah.” I think it is a perfectly acceptable colloquial affirmation, good for use in all but the most formal situations. ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/14 "2008-02-24T01:24:29Z")
[QUOTE=Hamlet] I liked “Maps” [/QUOTE] Beat me to it. He must hate “She Loves You.” ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/15 "2008-02-24T01:27:14Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] The way I have hearing it more of an enthusiastic yes. For example: A: We should go see There Will Be Blood again. B: Yeah yeah yeah, that movie was awesome. A: Did you go to Herbie Hancock concert last? B: Yeah yeah yeah, it was great. [/QUOTE] I’ve never heard it used that way. I’ve only heard it used by someone annoyed with what the speaker is saying and trying to change the subject. That does sound really stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/16 "2008-02-24T02:03:00Z")
[QUOTE=Blalron] I’ve only heard it used by someone annoyed with what the speaker is saying and trying to change the subject. [/QUOTE] Which explains why 2 1/2 inches is sick of hearing it. Dude, do you just pit anything that comes into your head? This is almost as lame as someone pitting a name…oh wait. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/17 "2008-02-24T02:33:00Z")
[QUOTE=AdmiralCrunch] Beat me to it. He must hate “She Loves You.” [/QUOTE] [**JonScribe** beat you to it, too.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9507028&postcount=3) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/18 "2008-02-24T02:56:48Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] Unfortunately, it’s the only way to get rid of the Hatrocks. [/QUOTE] And the Webby Award for Best Obscure Reference On A Message Board goes to… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/19 "2008-02-24T08:16:48Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] And the Webby Award for Best Obscure Reference On A Message Board goes to… [/QUOTE] I don’t know what he got for writing that post, but if you ask me, it shoulda been life! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868/20 "2008-02-24T09:31:53Z")
“She Loves You, yes” Doesn’t quite have the same impact somehow [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-yeah-yeah-is-a-stupid-expression/438868.md?page=2)