yes English · revision 1989

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=before 899|origins=ang gēa, ang sīe}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /jes/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|yes]] or [[m|enm|yis]], [[inh|ang|gēse]] or [[m|ang|gīse|t=so be it!]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) probably a compound, [[af|ang|gēa|sīe|t1=so, yea|t2=may it be]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) the second part being the present subjunctive of [[m|ang|bēon|t=to be]].^(Wiktionary)^(MWU 2024) The first part is [[yea]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The second goes back through [[gem-pro|*sijai-]] to the optative stem [[ine-pro|*si-]] of the root [[m|ine-pro|*es-|t=to be]], the source also of [[is]] and [[am]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Klein also considers a compound of gēa and [[m|ang|swā|t=so]].^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ So be it!, an emphatic affirmative, stronger than simple ''yea''.^(Etymonline) Old English ''gīse'', ''gēse'' is recorded before 899.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until about 1600 ''yea'' answered positive questions and ''yes'' answered negative ones,^(AHD 2000) and Shakespeare uses ''yes'' mainly in reply to negative questions.^(Etymonline) After that ''yes'' became the reply to both, and ''yea'' survived mainly in voice votes.^(AHD 2000) Repeated ''yes, yes'', showing impatience or eagerness, is by the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) The noun, “an utterance of yes, an affirmative reply”, is from 1712,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and the verb “to assent” from 1820^(Etymonline)^(HTOED) and “to flatter by constant agreement” from 1921,^(Etymonline) the sense behind ''yes-man''.^(SOED 2002) Johnson (1755) called it “the affirmative particle opposed to no”, deriving it from Saxon ''gise''.^(Johnson 1755)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 899 – Old English ''gīse'', ''gēse''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – ''yes'' (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-15th century – ''yes, yes''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – ''yes'' replaces ''yea'' as the reply to positive questions.^(AHD 2000)

+ * 1712 – noun.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1755 – Johnson: “the affirmative particle opposed to no”.^(Johnson 1755)

+ * 1820 – verb, to assent.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED)

+ * 1842 – used as a question, inviting someone to go on.^(HTOED)

+ * 1921 – verb, to flatter by agreeing.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used to give an affirmative answer, or to express agreement, consent or approval.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Used, often as a question, to invite someone to speak or go on: ''Yes? What is it?''^(Collins 2023)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An affirmative reply.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A vote, or a voter, in favour.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To say yes to; agree with.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[yes-man]]

+ * [[yes-no question]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[yea]]

+ * [[yeah]]

+ * [[yep]]

+ * [[aye]]

+ * [[is]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}