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DryHump

(199 posts) Thu Jan 15, 2015, 07:08 PM Jan 2015

It's the sound we make to say "Yup"...is it peculiar to English?

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Language Nerds: where does "Uh huh" come from? (Original Post) DryHump Jan 2015 OP

And also huh uh for no. Good question! CurtEastPoint Jan 2015 #1

According to the Oxford English Dictionary sarge43 Jan 2015 #2

"Uh-oh" for 'trouble' is another mystery. Special Prosciuto Jan 2015 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author LeftinOH Jan 2015 #4

I have the German video where it was first used in 1982 DFW Jan 2015 #5

(18,638 posts)

1. And also huh uh for no. Good question!

Thu Jan 15, 2015, 07:10 PM

Jan 2015

(28,941 posts)

2. According to the Oxford English Dictionary

Thu Jan 15, 2015, 07:34 PM

Jan 2015

It's an US colloquial. First written example, dated 1924. Probably came into use late 19th century. What region, anyone's guess.

(731 posts)

3. "Uh-oh" for 'trouble' is another mystery.

Fri Jan 16, 2015, 04:19 PM

Jan 2015

So is head motion - vertical nod for yes and side to side shake for no.
I've always guessed the last two are rooted in accepting or rejecting food, respectively.

http://www.reddit.com/r/linguistics/comments/1m1k16/how_did_uhhuh_and_uhuh_mean_yes_and_no_in_us/

LeftinOH This message was self-deleted by its author.

(54,335 posts)

5. I have the German video where it was first used in 1982

Sat Jan 17, 2015, 12:00 PM

Jan 2015

Any notions you might have heard it earlier are figments of your imagination, uh-huh........