Re: yeah (was Re: Moraic codas)

David Peterson wrote:
>In a message dated 7/17/01 9:08:28 AM, and_yo@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
>
><< I learnt "yea" = [je_i] in school.
>
>I rather like "yea" and "nay", prehaps because they resemble Swedish "ja"
>[jA:] and "nej" [nEj] more than does "yes" and "no". >>
>
>     If you all pronounce "yeah" [je:] or [je_i] like they did in the
>1500's
>in England, how on Earth do you distinguish between "yeah" (agreement) and
>"yay" (expression of joy)?
What? As I've said, I pronounce "yeah" as [jE:_@] and "yea" as [je_i]. I'm
under the impression that "yay" is merely a variant spelling of "yea" - if
there's any distinction (in meaning or pronunciation) between them, I'm
blissfully unaware of it. I expect to see "yea" in an archaizing or literary
context, and "yay" in a slangy or everyday context.

For the record, in Swedish I'll happily use "ja" in all instances where I in
English would use "yeah", "yes" or "yea"/"yay" (tho' there's of course also
other words one can use for expressing agreement, joy, etc).

                                                    Andreas
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