[net.nlang] Yep and nope

ecn-pa:scott (12/03/82)

I seems to me that "yep" and "nope" could just be the result
of a verbal utterance occurring at the same time as a particular
facial expression.  (How to describe a facial expression, hmmmm....)
When a person is certain about something, a way of indicating
that visually is by pressing the lips together slightly while
rolling the lips slightly inward.  Note also that that is no
doubt at all implied by "yep" and "nope".  Can you imagine someone
expressing a tentative "yes" by saying "yep"?  It seems plausible
that the final p was added by simply keeping the sound going on
the way to a facial confirmation of the verbal utterance.

	Scott Deerwester
	Purdue University Libraries

death (12/10/82)

This is getting excessive. Why not open discussion on the evolution of
the schwa as an (a) interrogative (b) expletive (c) descriptive (adjective/
adverb) or (d) declarative?

				uhhhh

dce (12/11/82)

I would guess that the schwa can be used anywhere the speaker wishes
to think, or when the details don't need to be repeated. After all,
it takes less muscles to make a mid, lax, voiced vowel than any other
sound.

			David