Language Use: Yeah, no.

While I was preparing an English class, I came across a book activity that presents a rather recent addition to authentic language use: Yeah, no.

“Yeah, no. we should really try to keep traditions going.”

It’s not exactly slang, but people are now using this with increasing frequency in conversation. At face value, it looks quite contradictory, and I imagined that there are people who aren’t at all familiar with its use.

One question that comes to mind is, “Where did this expression come from?”  Well, a cursory search points to our friends “down under” in Australia.  It is similarly used in South Africa (Yah, nay), yet is not limited to the English language; in German, ‘ja nein’ is used as well!  In fact, in can be found in just about any English-speaking country.

So, how can it be used? Well, in a number of ways. Here’s a list that I’ve put together based on my search:

1. used frequently to agree, as in “Yes, indeed, and no, I wouldn’t think of contradicting you:
1. “My car is in the shop, and you had said you would stay home today, so would you mind if I borrowed your car?”
2. “Yeah, no, that would be just fine!”
2. used less frequently to acknowledge what was said, yet disagree, as in:
1. “During the movie, I found myself squirming in my chair!”
2. “Yeah, no, I don’t like horror movies”.
3. used to soften the rejection/denial of a person’s request:
1. “Those are only some of the problems we had.”
2. “Yeah, no, we can’t give you your money back, sorry”.
4. used to give a sarcastic and emphatic no:
1. “So what do you think?”
2. “Yeahhhh, NO! That’s a terrible idea.”
5. used as an alternative filler to “um/uh”.

It’s important to highlight that “yeah, no” always appears as a way of starting a conversation or as something uttered briefly before a response to something that has been said. It is never used in the middle or at the end of a comment. Typically, there is no pause following “no”.

I personally question whether or not “Yeah, no” will persist in language or will fade away like a fad. However, Cambridge sees it as a strategy of increasing fluency. So, what do you think? Is “yeah, no” here to stay? Do you agree with my list? Do you have any else to add? Let me know in the comments.

Sources:

http://www.cambridge.org/us/cambridgeenglish/catalog/adult-courses/viewpoint/viewpoint-level-1-students-book Cambridge Viewpoint 1, page 121.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/yeah,_no

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2191240

http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2013/05/yeah-no.html

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=yeah+no

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtaUHMWQpiI

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1976292

Appitivity - Young Learners and Educreations

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6660141777_f3c5978a8e.jpg

The young learners we have in our classrooms nowadays are digital natives. It means that they were born during or after the general introduction of digital technology.  They are familiar with computers, mobile devices and internet from an early age.  I have been using the Ipads in my Kids group and they simply love it!

For the first activity I used Educreations. We were practicing vocabulary related to the beach, but the teacher can adapt and use this activity for any kind of vocabulary practice. 

Here is the activity:
  -  Take the Ipads beforehand and open the app (Educreations).

·         - Make it ready-to-use (click on “new project” and you’ll see a blank page).

·         - Make sure Educreations is logged in (branch’s account). So, it’s easier to access the students’ projects later and share or embed it on the web.

·         - After doing the activities you have prepared for the Circle Time (songs and chants) use the Ipads to review content. In this case: vocabulary.

·         - The children are already on the floor.

·         - Divide them into pairs and explain they are going to work together, taking turns.

·         - Open your Ipad (before giving the kids their devices) and show them how they have to proceed.

·         - Tell them you’re going to speak up a word and they´ll have to draw it. (model)

·         - After drawing they have to touch the REC button and say the sentence using the word. (model)

·         - They have to pause touching the REC button again. (model)

·         - On the bottom of the page, right side, they touch the arrow that goes to the next blank page. (model)

·         - Everybody waits for the second word.

·         - Use the same procedure for the rest of the words.

·         - After the last slide you have to save their projects. (Ask your aid for help)

·         - Save the project with the students’ names and the class. (e.g.: Maria and Julia – K02)

·         - Save it public.

EXAMPLE:

·         - Teacher: “It’s a bucket.”

·         - Students: draw the bucket.

·         - Students record their voices saying: “It’s a bucket.”

·         - They pause.

·         - They go to the next slide.

Educreations puts the slides all together and makes a short video. They really enjoy watching their project and their classmates’ projects. Below you can see one example:

After class, the teacher can access the branch’s account and click on ‘Welcome, CTJ’. You’ll see all the projects saved. Click on the project you want to use and you’ll be able to share or embed it.

I have created a digital portfolio using the free pbworks WIKI - http://kidsteacherika.pbworks.com. On the WIKI, I created a page for each student and embedded their projects there. In the end of the month, I sent the link to the parents. Another idea (from Carla Arena) is to create a page for each project and send the link through “Registro Escolar” to all parents at once. This is a screenshot from one of my student’s page: