Rather a lot has been written regarding the vitality of Taylor Swift’s poetic lyrics to resonate deeply alongside together with her audiences. Nevertheless neglect poetry and literary allusions — their have an effect on pales in comparison with the cultural have an effect on of a strong “yeah-nah”.
All through remaining Friday evening’s dwell efficiency, Swift’s dancer Kameron Saunders bellowed the cherished Australian phrase in response to Swift’s line “You notice that we’re in no way getting once more collectively” — and 96,000 Swifties on the Melbourne Cricket Flooring went wild.
It was enchanting to satisfy you — introducing ‘yeah-nah’
In keeping with the first ever look at of this little Aussie icon, “yeah-nah” arrived on the linguistic scene perhaps throughout the late Nineteen Nineties. However it didn’t really come to the attention of Australians until the early 2000s, quite a bit the an identical time as Swift and her guitar began to rise to fame in Nashville. And, much like Swift, it’s not always been plain crusing for “yeah-nah” — a rocky start and a occupation marked by steady change and innovation.
Condemned by many inside the early 2000s, “yeah-nah” was branded with disparaging labels equal to “speech junk” — and lumped together with completely different “pointless phrases that muddle up our language”. “Yeah-no” was a symptom of Australia’s inarticulateness, they argued, and it should go.
Study additional:
Yeah, nah: Aussie slang hasn’t carked it, nonetheless we do want to know additional about it
Nevertheless somehow “yeah-no” climbed out of the linguistic abyss — obtained right here once more stronger than a nineties sample, as Swifties would put it — and obtained people’s hearts. When ABC radio stations throughout the nation requested their listeners to ship of their favourite Aussie slang expressions, “yeah-nah” obtained right here second out of larger than a thousand distinctive phrases (it’d even have come first had “mate” not obtained that unfair improve from completely different favourites like “g’day mate”).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D8HauWeNC0
Now a big protagonist in William McInnes’ e-book Yeah, Nah!: A celebration of life and the phrases that make us who we’re, this quite a bit preferred linguistic celeb moreover makes widespread public appearances — popping up far and wide from automotive product sales adverts to the branding initiatives of condom corporations. It’s prominently adorned on earrings, signet rings, necklaces, T-shirts and even choices in fantastically intricate needlework embroideries.
What’s ‘yeah-nah’ anyway?
“Yeah-nah” (or its additional formal mannequin “yeah-no”) is a kind of extraordinarily idiosyncratic expressions dotted by way of our speech. Its options must do with hedging, politeness and solidarity, nonetheless they’re difficult and pinning them down is troublesome. As you’d depend on — it is after all the fall-out of the hidden thought processes of individuals interacting with completely different folks.
Listed below are some examples as an example merely just a few of its duties.
You may want to decline any individual’s selection provide of assist: “Do want a hand?” — “Yeah-nah, I’ll be great.” To simply say “no” may very well be blunt.
You may want to agree with a antagonistic question: “So that you just didn’t get the Taylor Swift tickets?” — “Yeah-nah, now we have been too gradual.” A simple “positive” or “no” may very well be ambiguous.
You may want to level out enthusiastic settlement: “So that you just liked Taylor Swift?” — “Yeah-nah, she was unbelievable.” The impression of “no” is to strengthen “positive” by knocking on the highest any likelihood of contradiction.
You start talking after a lull inside the dialog: “Yeah-nah, I hoped to go to the dwell efficiency.” “Yeah-nah” strengthens rapport alongside along with your conversational companion; it suggests curiosity or help.
You’re beneath pressure to only settle for a reward, nonetheless on the an identical time want to appear modest. “You carried out brilliantly proper this second” — “Yeah-nah, I was lucky really.” “Yeah” acknowledges the reward (to not would seem ungrateful), and the following “nah” efficiently softens its have an effect on.
Study additional:
Brekkies, barbies, mozzies: why do Aussies shorten so many phrases?
So which one did Taylor Swift’s dancer use?
The “yeah-nah” starring inside the Eras tour is doubtless one of many newest options, usually dubbed the “shutdown” use: an intense, sarcastic kind of disagreement, which efficiently shuts down the topic altogether (“Would you give me your tickets for Saturday evening time’s dwell efficiency?” “Yeah, nah”.) The “yeah” sarcastically feints at an settlement that is clearly not potential, sooner than the crystal-cold readability of the disagreement is issued: “nah”. Curiously, this use has earlier and stronger documentation in US Englishand solely additional not too way back has it been current in Australian English.
“Shutdown” makes use of have proliferated on Twitter since at least 2018 (and, positive, that an intense kind of disagreement ought to accumulate momentum on Twitter might be the least gorgeous part of this story). The sturdy strand of net language feeding the occasion of this function might be why newer analysis have found such a “yeah-no” is used predominantly by youthful people.
A bit gorgeous, really — in most completely different options, Baby Boomers have been documented to be basically essentially the most prolific prospects of “yeah-no”.
You belong with me — language binds us
Language is all about talking (the truth is), nonetheless it’s moreover about defining the gang — and in no way underestimate the significance of this second function. Members of Swift’s fandom are acknowledged for weaving her observe lyrics (“clear home, youngster”, “purple lip primary”) into their conversations. These fragments of lyrics develop right into a form of “clique”, or in-group recognition gadget — “if you’re quoting Taylor Swift, that connects us”.
Swift is definitely acutely aware of the flexibility of language when it comes to creating bonds, and by no means merely by way of relatable lyrics and themes. She is nice at acknowledging native custom and using colloquial phrases to connect alongside together with her audiences. And he or she nailed it with “yeah-nah”.