This has been a kiwi slang word that doesn’t really make sense but it’s used everyday. Yeah nah is a non-committal statement, you are acknowledging what someone is saying but you don’t agree. A bit of an oxi moron I guess.
Yeah nah is the conversation you have with your mate at the pub. You might be asked a meaningful question, like ”Do you think you’ll ring the Misses and ask her if it is ok to stay for another pint?” You could definitively say, Yeah, nah!
The word is always said in jest and it takes a foreign ear to pick it up as it really is part of the New Zealand culture. It means indecision, no or maybe. So in short, yeah means yes and nah means no. If you were talking with someone and you want to avoid conflict, then yeah nah is the perfect phrase. I hear what you’ve said but no I don’t agree.
So next time you are undecided on how to answer, yeah nah is a good bet.
As a photographer I’ve always had a passion for creative art and recently I have started to feature some Kiwiana Digital Prints with sayings, words, phrases and colloquialisms.
If you’re a home sick Kiwi living abroad, my artwork may just be an ideal solution for a dose of New Zealand artwork to decorate your home or office.
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“… a kiwi slang word that doesn’t really make sense … indecision … no or maybe”
Yeah Nah.
It can be used in multiple ways, not just no or maybe, including at times to mean yes. For example to express: “yeh, you’re right; I think so too; I agree”. The meaning is usually very clear in a given situation, based on context, delivery, intonation and which word has emphasis, along with facial expression and body language.
“So what does Yeah, nah actually mean?
A whole lot of things, actually: …
Yeah, nah – ‘yes, no’ – became popular in Australia in the 90s and has continued to grow in use, both in Australia and overseas. Like all good things, the Kiwis claim it as theirs too, even using it for a major drink driving campaign.”
I guess as a kiwi you might yeah nah to the last part, meaning yes 😉