It is common to express agreement with words like “of course” and “yeah”. On the other hand, disagreements are shared through words like “not” but, usage of yay or nay as alternatives can be confusing.
I will show you, through examples, how you can utilize these words in the right context.
Yay or Nay – What Is The Difference, Definition and Meaning?
Yay
Informal Affirmative Exclamation.
Yay is used to express excitement. This may be the most common usage but, in some writings, the same word is also used to give an estimation of size of something. For example,
- We are getting my favourite food today, yay!
- Yay! I scored the highest in my Math test.
- I need to expand my closet. It is only yay big for all the clothes.
Nay
Signals No Vote.
Nay is used to express disagreement. It closely rhymes with “neigh” which is instead used for a whinny sound or horse sound. For example,
- A nay vote by the population can help make useful changes to the constitution.
- Nay, stop the fight! We came here to have a good time.
- I need one, nay, three pencils to get this done.
Do You Know Where Yay or Nay Originated From?
English is an old language for sure but that does not mean all the words came in that early. Yay and nay were absorbed into this language quite late.
It was around 1963 when yay evolved from a common English word “yeah” which was considered to an informal way of saying “yes”.
Yay and nay became popular in terms of “vocal voting” where people were often asked to say out loud what their opinion on a matter was.
Got It, Now?
The examples should be enough to show you how yay or nay can be used in sentences. Moreover, you can remember that Yay and yes start with Y so have the same meaning. This is similar to Nay or No.
You can choose between these words easily if you understand the meaning. Here’s a quick overview:
Yay: Yes or affirmative.
Nay: No or disagreement.
Also see:
Difference Between Disk and Disc.
Difference Between Disinterested and Uninterested.