Earlier quoted context omitted.
The "no" might be short for "I know".
As a counterexample, in spanish, we say "No, claro", and we don't have anything similar to "know".
saber/conocer?
Unless I'm missing something?
What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
61–70 of 82 posts
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
As a counterexample, in spanish, we say "No, claro", and we don't have anything similar to "know".
saber/conocer? Unless I'm missing something?
The crucial point is that "yo sé" couldn't be shortened to "no", in the same way that "I know" can be shortened to "no" (via "I know" -> "know" -> "no").
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#63I've always wondered how "awful" came to mean "bad" (the opposite of "awe full") and then has apparently added the meaning "very" ("awfully good"?)?
Words flipping from positive to negative and visa versa is very common in language. Just the other day I was talking to some younger kids about hockey and they were going on about a goal being "filthy" and "Dirty". In my day a dirty goal was one that didn't look nice. To them these goals were so naughty(as in sexy) you wanted to take a shower after seeing them.
Here's some reading http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/15/1284995/-Origins-of...
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#64In New Zealand we say "yeah, nah", which is sort of a similar thing to this.
We've even got ad campaigns with it now:
http://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-activities-services/campai...
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#65The four-word system (yea, nay, yes, no) is interesting. Might the modern "yeah" be a relic of "yea"?
The following sounds strange to me:
Shoot, there aren’t any open pubs in Canterbury at this hour.
Yeah.
Is Chaucer drunk?
Yeah.Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#66The different possible origins of this phrase are interesting. The article mentions a couple, and there's some in the comments here. I've always seen it as I'm saying "no" to alleviate any doubt the other person had that I did not agree with their statement. The conversation might go: A. I really think "OK Computer" is the best Radiohead album. B. No, totally! But the implication is more like: A. I think "OK Computer…
I agree with this. in the lena DUNHAM case she seems to be affirming maron's assumptions. The question implies that if you don't agree with me I have totally misunderstood you as a person. If she replied with yeah, ok(or any other negative word), she would be communicating her new knowledge of marons inability to relate and the either dismissing the statement or rejecting it. Much conversation is to relate as apposed to communicating specific ideas. on a slight tangent that new usage of random to mean unexpected is more actually meant to me of all the actions I've seen you take I would not have predicted this on.
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does this work for questions phrased in the negative? Ni bu hui shuo zhongwen ma? (You can't speak Chinese?) could be responded to with "bu hui", "hui", or "dui" I think. "Dui" (correct) would mean... Right, I cant? "Dui bu dui" is also an interesting departure for this...
Yes, it also works for questions phrased in the negative, and 对/不对 (dui / bu dui) ("that's right"/"that's not right") does not make any sense as a response to that question, you need to use 会/不会 (hui/ bu hui) ("I can"/"I can't"). It's all very explicit compared to most languages. But another, perhaps more natural way of negatively phrasing the question would be "你不会说中文，是吗？" or "你不会说中文，对吗？" or even the odd formulation…
It's too late to edit, but I now realize that what I wrote is pretty confusing. Especially the part with "You don't speak Chinese, right?" which should be between quotes. It's the translation of the previous sentence, not something that I'm actually asking... And I should add that I don't speak Mandarin fluently, but I'm still confident about the above.
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#68Seems simple enough to me. The "No" is directed at defusing a redundant introductory lecture. Translate as: "No, you don't have to explain further, I completely understand" "No, stop, I've already heard of that and I'm totally onboard with your opinion" I spend a lot of time being introduced to topics I'm already familiar with, but just nodding politely or saying "yeah" is interpreted as active listening, as "I'd lik…
I think this is the correct explanation. Can someone find a counter-example where "no" is used in the weird way the New Yorker piece is describing, but where it can't be taken to mean "No, you don't have to go on; I know exactly what you're talking about/asking"? The example given by yathern... > A: I wasn't sure if you'd like to go to the park - do you want to? > B: No, totally! Definitely want to go. ...seems to fi…
Basically every time Tim Ferris talks on his podcast.
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#69It kind of grates on me when someone always answers in the affirmative with 'No, [affirmative]'. It has become more and more common (especially when I speak with people from California).
I think there's combination of forces at play. But I think a big factor is that people are afraid of appearing too agreeable. It would just be way to overt and enthusiastic to just say 'Yeah, totally' for Californian sensibilities.
Re: What part of “No, Totally” don't you understand?
#70I've always wondered how "awful" came to mean "bad" (the opposite of "awe full") and then has apparently added the meaning "very" ("awfully good"?)?
Words flipping from positive to negative and visa versa is very common in language. Just the other day I was talking to some younger kids about hockey and they were going on about a goal being "filthy" and "Dirty". In my day a dirty goal was one that didn't look nice. To them these goals were so naughty(as in sexy) you wanted to take a shower after seeing them. Here's some reading http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/0…
I don't think this particular case is a new-ish usage; "filthy" has long been popular in baseball to describe a very crafty pitch or pitcher, or "sick" in music for an amazing solo or musician.