David Peterson wrote:
>In a message dated 7/18/01 9:13:59 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:
>
><< What? As I've said, I pronounce "yeah" as [jE:_@] and "yea" as [je_i].
>I'm
>under the impression that "yay" is merely a variant spelling of "yea" - if
>there's any distinction (in meaning or pronunciation) between them, I'm
>blissfully unaware of it. I expect to see "yea" in an archaizing or
>literary
>context, and "yay" in a slangy or everyday context. >>
>
>     "Yay" is not a variant spelling of "yea".  "Yea" and "yay" are two
>completely different words.  When I, or anyone else I know down here,
>hear's
>[jej], we immediately think of, you know, "Yaaaaaaaaay!  Happy!"  If
>someone
>were to say "Yea, verily", though, we certainly wouldn't take it to mean
>"yay", but "yes".  This isn't something new; it has been this way all my
>life.  As has "yea" been dead all my life, as it has during the lives of my
>parents.  It lives only in Shakespeare and Nathaniel Hawthorne and other
>such
>works.  If you don't believe me, or can't fathom it, just watch the
>Simpsons.
>  Off hand, I can think of the episode where they go to Itchy and Scratchy
>Land.  They say "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" when they think Marge has finally
>conceded.

Nothing you'll ever say 'll make me watch the Simpsons, but if you as a
native speaker insists that "yay" and "yea" are different words, I guess I
have to accept that.

BTW, isn't "yes!" used as an exclamation much like "yay!"? The Swedish word
for "yes", namely "ja", is frequently used as a such exclamation, so you can
see were I got the idea that "yay" and "yea" are the same - they sound the
same and they translate as the same word!

                                                        Andreas
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