How did uhn-uh come to mean “no” and uh-huh come to mean “yes” in English?

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Pretty much the title. Also curious if other languages have similar non-word sounds for negation/affirmation.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Sounds that rise in pitch are often considered positive, while sounds that decrease in pitch are often viewed as negative.

“Uh-huh” is a low-to-high sound, so is often positive or affirmative. It’s the same for Mm-hmm and mmMMH. Low-to-high

Uh-uh and Mm-mm are both low-to-lower, higher-to-lower sounds. They get deeper as you progress, so they are typically associated with a negative.

This is why you can say, “Uh-huh,” with a pitch that depends, and the person you’re talking to will *immediately* understand you’re being sarcastic.

It’s not so much the *words*, but the *intonation* that matters.

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