Why yes has 3 forms and no has 1 form

Guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:56 pm GMT
Yes - Yes, Yeah, Ya
No - Nope



WHY?
Guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:04 pm GMT
also: yep, nah

So its 4 to 3 in favor of yes (so far)
Travis   Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:12 pm GMT
Well, depends. At least here there is a whole bunch of both affirmative and negative interjections:

Affirmative:

yes - [ˈjɜs]
yeah - [ˈjɛ̯æ], [ˈjɛ̥ː], [ˈjɛ̯̃æ̃], or [ˈjɛ̥̃ː]
yah (ja) - [ˈjaː]
yep - [ˈjɜʔp]

Negative:

no - [ˈnoː]
neah - [ˈnɛ̯̃æ̃]
nah - [ˈnaː]
nope - [ˈnoʔp]
Travis   Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:13 pm GMT
Oh, there is also [ˈnɛ̞̃ː] for "neah" here.
AJC   Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:17 pm GMT
[aI]

[na]

[nE:]
LALALA   Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:53 pm GMT
In an informal speech, I mostly use "Yup".
Guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:58 pm GMT
"naw"
AJC   Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:09 pm GMT
still missing "nay" [ne:]
guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:30 pm GMT
'yes' has more:

yea
aye/ay
yeah
yep/yup
yo (exclamation for 'yes' [I am here])
affirmative
(so)
(amen)
(always)


'no':

nay
negative
(never)
Guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:36 pm GMT
You're forgetting "nay","nah","negatory" and "nope".
guest   Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:27 pm GMT
<<You're forgetting "nay","nah","negatory" and "nope". >>

I got "nay" in there.