Nay-sayer

[Dr. Goodword]

• nay-sayer •

Pronunciation: nay-say-êr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. A pessimist, a disparager, someone who constantly disagrees or otherwise expresses negative opinions. 2. An opponent, someone who opposes something. The opposite of a yea-sayer.

Notes: The common positive and negative interjections in the English language around the world are yes and no. However, in parts of Scotland and northern England, nay and yea (or aye) are often preferred. A nay-sayer then is the same as a no-sayer, except that nay-sayer has stuck in the language, making no-sayer unnecessary.

In Play: Generally, nay-sayers are considered pessimists who say "nay" to everything: "The nay-sayers in management make it impossible for any innovation in this company." However, this word can also be used for those who say "nay" to only one thing: "There are nay-sayers who think William Arami will never find a wife, but I think he will and that she will be lucky to have him."

Word History: The use of yea and nay is most prominent in Scotland and northern England because the Viking influence was strongest there. Nay is simply the English spelling of Danish nej "no". The Slavic language preferred the E variant to the O-variant of the Proto-Indo-European negative interjection, too. Russian ne means both "no" and "not". Yea is less clearly a borrowing, though it is similar to ja "yes" found in many Germanic languages, including Danish, Norwegian, and German. When these words were brought to the New World, they changed to yeah and naw, particularly in the Southern US states. (We are certainly happy that Jack Gibson said "yea" and not "nay" to the idea of suggesting today's very Good Word.)

[George Kovac]

"I don’t want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them their jobs." -- Samuel Goldwyn (1882 - 1974)

[Gene Engene]

And yet - the Greek word 'nai' - pronounced 'neh', rather than 'naee' as some would have it, means 'yes', which makes it far easier to say 'yes' in Greek, than 'no', which is 'oxi', the 'x' as an aspirated 'k' palatal closure, or fricative, of which, there is nothing comparable in the English alphabet. Although, we do make the sound, from time to time, if we try to mimic the hiss of an angry cat, which certainly has a negative connotation, or as a nonverbal sound of rejection. This can lead to confusion. Having learned some rudimentary Greek in Athens, I was passing through Milan, changing trains, and had the time to get a snack in the depot. Still thinking in Greek, I pointed to an item that looked tasty, the counter man indicated it, and I said 'nai', which stopped him in mid-retrieval of the item. I pointed again, he indicated again, I said 'nai' again, and he stopped again, with a somewhat puzzled, not to say irritated, look ... after a few more seconds, hearing the language being spoken around us, I pointed again, and finally said 'SI'!! Worked like a charm.

[jfink]

"Yea" and "nay" do persist in standard English all over the United States and many other English-speaking areas in one situation - voting by voice, as in business meetings.

[Dr. Goodword]

The Greeks to this day nod their head for okhi "no" and shake their heads for nai "yes", as I recall from my visits to Greece decades ago. Any connection? Europeans shake their heads for any yes-no question response that starts with an N?