Yes is a very old word. It entered English before 900 and comes from the Old English word gese loosely meaning “be it.” Before the 1600s, yes was often used only as an affirmative to a negative question, and yea was used as the all-purpose way to say “yes.”
What is a fancy way of saying yes?
affirmative. noun. formal a word or phrase that indicates agreement, support, or attention to what is being said. ‘Yes’ and ‘I agree‘ are affirmatives.
How do you say yes and no in Old English?
While Modern English has a two-form system of yes and no for affirmatives and negatives, earlier forms of English had a four-form system, comprising the words yea, nay, yes, and no.
What is YES in Middle English?
From Middle English ye, ȝea, ya, ȝa, from Old English ġēa, iā (“yea, yes”), from Proto-Germanic *ja (“yes, thus, so”), from Proto-Indo-European *yē (“already”).
Can I say ya instead of yes?
Both are usually fine.
Is Aye an Old English?
aye (adv.) “always, ever,” c. 1200, from Old Norse ei “ever” (cognate with Old English a “always, ever”), from Proto-Germanic *aiwi-, extended form of PIE root *aiw- “vital force, life; long life, eternity” (source also of Greek aiōn “age, eternity,” Latin aevum “space of time”).
What is the Viking word for yes?
From Old Norse já (“yes”).
How do British people say sure?
Below is the UK transcription for ‘sure’: Modern IPA: ʃóː Traditional IPA: ʃɔː 1 syllable: “SHAW”
What is no in Old English?
From Middle English no, na, from Old English nā, nō (“no, not, not ever, never”), from Proto-Germanic *nai (“never”), *nē (“not”), from Proto-Indo-European *ne, *nē, *nēy (negative particle), equivalent to Old English ne (“not”) + ā, ō (“ever, always”).
How do you say yes in Shakespeare?
“Aye” simply means “yes”. So, “Ay, My Lady” simply means “Yes, My Lady.” Although the word “wish” does appear in Shakespeare, like when Romeo says “I wish I were a cheek upon that hand,” we often find “would” used instead.
Why do Brits say ta?
Online Etymology Dictionary says: ta: 1772, “natural infantile sound of gratitude” [Weekley]. Although possibly originating from the imitative of baby talk, this is in widespread use in the North of England and Wales as an informal “thanks” amongst adults. Used to express thanks.
Why do Brits say Guv?
(slang) A contraction of “governor”, used to describe a person in a managerial position e.g. “Sorry mate, can’t come to the pub, my guv’nor’s got me working late tonight”. Heard mostly in London.
Is Yay slang for yes?
You pronounce yay in the same way you pronounce yea, which makes these two words homophones—indistiguishable when spoken and easily confused when written. They have different meanings, though. While yea is the word we sometimes use for yes, yay is the word we use to express joy, approval, or excitement.
Why is Aye used instead of yes?
Aye simply means yes, so it can be used anywhere an affirmative reaction is due. You can say it if you agree with what your friend said. But it’s usually used in formal settings such as someone receiving an order from their superior, or as a funny comeback to someone acting like your superior.
Is saying yeah sure rude?
If asked a question that would warrant a “yes “ or “no” answer saying sure could be seen as being rude. Usually it means the person didn’t understand the question and instead of asking for clarity or for the question to be repeated they would say “sure”.
Do Scots say aye?
Scots are known for pronouncing traditional words in unpredictable ways. Listen out for “yes” pronounced as “aye”, “dae” as “do” and “dinnae” as “don’t“. It’s probably worth having a look through a guide to Scottish slang before your trip. See if you can understand “Ah dinnae ken.”
Why do Scots say aye?
Aye means yes, often replacing the latter in day-to-day life in Scotland. Conversely, ‘aye, right’ is used when expressing feelings of disbelief (think of it as the Scottish equivalent to ‘yeah, right’).
Is it aye or ay?
Word forms: ayes
If you vote aye, you vote in favor of something. The ayes are the people who vote in favor of something.
What is love in Old English?
The verb is from Middle English loven, luvien, from Old English lufian (“to love”), from Proto-West Germanic *lubōn (“to love”), derived from the noun.
Is it Thou or thy?
Thou is the nominative form; the oblique/objective form is thee (functioning as both accusative and dative); the possessive is thy (adjective) or thine (as an adjective before a vowel or as a possessive pronoun); and the reflexive is thyself.
What is please in Old English?
Etymology 1
From Middle English plesen, plaisen, borrowed from Old French plaise, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placēre (“to please, to seem good”), from the Proto-Indo-European *plā-k- (“wide and flat”).