What are the polite ways to say “No” in English?



Here you ever been in a place where you desperately wanted to say Nor but said yes because Nor would have sounded rude? Let me assure you this is a common situation We want to say No but don't know how to say that politely without hurting the other person's feelings. We have often wondered if there are polite ways of saying "No" Say "No in an indirect way so we do not embarrass the person we are speaking to, and continue to have an easy relationship with them. Often it isn't very kind to say Na-And it is better to be polite than to be direct. Now, this problem of finding the right words to say No to turn down a request to refuse to do the thing the other party is asking is to do gets worse when we write. When we speak we can smile and say No, yaar," and perhaps shake hands over it When we write, we put across cold words. Try this Say No with a smile and write No on a piece of paper and show it to your friend When you say No with a smile. there is very possibility he/she will smile hack. When you show a paper with Nor written on it, he/she will not smile at all.



[1] Even when you speak, it is not always possible to smile. You want to say "No", without making the listener feel offended.



Read these sentences. Can these be said without using the word "No"?



"No, we can't go to the movie." No, I can't change the date of the meeting." "No, I don't want to see all 356 photos from your vacation." Would you like to try these ways?



Informal conversations:




  • Thank you for the invitation, but sorry, it is not possible.

  • The food was delicious but I've already eaten too much.

  • Not now but another time. Maybe we can go on Saturday?

  • I'd like to go with you, but I have to complete my homework today

  • I wish I could but unfortunately, I already have plans for that day. Maybe tomorrow?

  • I don't think I can ever do this!



Formal conversations:




  • I'm sorry but we won't be able to make those changes you want.

  • I would love to/like to but there is a family function that evening.

  • I'm afraid I'm not available on Friday

  • I am sorry we wont be able to change the time of the meeting.

  • I wish I could but am unable to help you in this matter.

  • We appreciate the offer, but this is not a good time for us.

  • I'm afraid I can't meet you today. How about tomorrow?



[2] Sometimes you end up saying "Maybe", instead of "No." Unfortunately, people tend to take the "Maybe" as "Yes", you want to do the thing, though you mean "No, I don't want to do it.”




  • So instead of saying "maybe", use:

  • Perhaps I can make it. Let me check my calendar.

  • Perhaps another time. I am short of time now.

  • I'm not sure if I can. Shall we talk about this later?

  • Can I call you back on this?



[3] Saying "I can't" also sounds rude. It sounds like you are admitting failure, instead of trying hard. On the other hand, people say, "Learn to say 1 can't, instead of getting into sticky situations!" So, how do we say "I can't" politely?



Try saying "not able to" or "unable to to soften the language.




  • I'm not able to complete this project now, can I submit it tomorrow?

  • I'm unable to meet you tomorrow. I'm sorry.

  • I'm really sorry but I'm not able to come to your birthday party.



 [4] A very tricky situation is when someone asks for help. If you are not able to do that for some good reason, how do you express it?




  • I would love to help you, but ..

  • I wish I could help you, but...

  • Usually, I am one for helping others but.

  • Normally I would say yes, but..



[5] When someone offers you something you definitely do not want.




  • I appreciate the offer, but...

  • That would be great, but…

  • Thank you for the offer, but…



[6] Polite ways to say 'no' to an invitation:




  • That sounds great, but...

  • I'm sorry I can't come that day/night. I have

  • I really appreciate the invitation, but..

  • I wish I could be there, but unfortunately...

  • I know the party will be fun... but…



 



Picture Credit : Google


What are the ways to say “yes” in English?



Coming to think of it, not everyone says "Yes" in the same way, though the meaning is the same - "I agree with you", "I shall do what you want me to", "What you say is right". all of which means you agree generally with the person you are speaking to. But do we say "Yes" in the same tone and pitch always? Certainly not. Read the following aloud using the punctuation as dues. You will see how the simple word "Yes" can express different ways of agreeing.



[1] Yes! [2] Yes, yes, yes! [3] Yes. [4] Yes. [5] Yes? [6] Yes, [7] Yes - [8] Yeeeees..



Form a question each for these eight ways of saying "Yes".



For example:



Question: Would you like a cup of ice cream?



Answer: Yes!



 "Yes" is a very old word. It entered English before 900 AD and comes from the Old English word "gese" meaning "may it be so." Before the 1600s, "yes" was often used only as an affirmative to a negative question ('You have not read the book?"), and "Year" was the all-purpose way to say "Yes." [Examples: "Will you marry me?", "Are you going abroad?" - "Yea') By the 1800s, "Yeah" was being used widely, and came to be labelled as an Americanism.



Popular substitutes



There is another aspect to saying "Yes." You can speak in the affirmative without captain. ["Aye, aye, captain!) It is a formal response meaning "yes" in the British House of Commons. It is also an I. Etymologists [those who study the saying "Yes." That is, you can say "Yes" using a variety of words and phrases that have no "yes" in them. Here is a list.



[1] Aye: You would have heard this word in movies where soldiers answer the accepted substitute for "Tea" in a voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. When it first entered English, it was often spelled origin of words) don't know where it came from, but it appeared suddenly in the late 1500s and is still with us.



[2] Indubitably: The word mean "indubitably", meaning "without doubt, has the prefix "in" which when added to words generally makes it negative. [active-inactive] "Indubitably” like many words with a negative prefix comes from the root dubitable. Strangely though, the negative version of the word has always been more popular than its root. Both "dubitably" and indubitably" come from the Latin word "dubitare" meaning "to doubt."



[3] OK, Okey: We generally associate the word "Ok" with Americans, but not everyone agrees "Ok" is an Americanism. But it is possible it came from the 1840 American presidential election in which political candidates jokingly mis-spelled the phrase "all correct" as "oll korrect" and then shortened it to "Okey" and "Ok". There are also stories that the word had its origin in military barracks and soldiers gave it this spelling, but we cannot say if that story is true.



An informal version of "Ok" is okey dokey". It is a goofy version really and you don't want to use it when you are serious about saying "Yes". No Okey dokey when you are asked, "Will you collect the hall-ticket from your teacher" The right answer to this is: "Yes, certainly." 



[4] Sure: The word "Sure" is related to the Old French word with the same spelling, which meant "safe" or "secure." Till the early 1500s, "Sure" meant "safe". In the mid-1500s, people began to use the word "sure" when they meant "certainly" and "indubitably." from which we get the phrases "to be sure" and "for sure“. Of course the phrase "sure thing” is without doubt an Americanism. It began to be used in the 1800s.



[4] Sure: The word "Sure" is related to the old French word with the same spelling, which meant "safe" or "secure" Till the early 1500s, "sure" meant "safe". In the mid-1500s, people began to use the word "sure" when they meant "certainly" and indubitably," from which we get the phrases "to be sure" and "for sure". Of course the phrase "sure thing" is without doubt an Americanism. It began to be used in the 1800s.



[5] Yeah: This common casual variation of "yes" arose in the early 20th century in America. It is said with a drawl (elongated way) and is often used sarcastically. Since the 1980s, its usage of "yeah" appeared in the 1960s and may be a variation on the word "hooray." However, it remains the least used among our "yes" alternatives. You hear this in sports stadiums when a match is going has risen dramatically, and is used widely in speech and writing.



 [6] Yay: This possible alternative spelling on, right?



[7] By all means: This affirmative means that it is an "yes" in every way possible. [Example: "Can we invite all the school leaders for the meeting?" "By all means."]



[8] Affirmative: People say "affirmative" when they want to say "yes" just because they feel very pleased with themselves. This form of saying "yes" is found mostly in North America, where you can also hear the phrase "in the affirmative." [Example: "The last time I asked you for permission to watch football, you replied in the affirmative.



[9] Roger. You heard this in movies when the soldiers are talking on the radio. "Roger" is used to acknowledge receipt of a message. Of course, no one can stop us from using it in casual conversation, and we have been doing so for quite some time. [Example: "Shall we order pizza for dinner today?" "Roger!" We feel well informed when we say that right?]



[10] Uh-huh: Saying "Yes" this way needs a bit of practice, since it is mostly sound with no history of its origin. This sound is a verbalised shrug, which can mean "yes" or "no". It is a non-committal way of saying 'Yes." ['You can do it, I really don't care.) When you say "uh-huh", you need to nod as well, to make your "Yes" clear.  



[11] Righto: This one is British. You can simply say "Right!" without the "o" in the end. But "Right" is informal and cheerful, don't you think?



[12] Very well. This is a very useful phrase to convey that you accept because you don't know what else to do. You are accepting something out of compulsion. Also out of exasperation. You are not excited about saying "yes" to the listener. Try saying this: "Oh, you want to use my mobile phone?  Very well then. Here it is."  



[13] Yup: 'Yup" and its variation 'Yep" are such a joy to say. This is because of the "p" in the end that gives it a strong emphasis. [It is called the "implosive "p".



Example: "Do you want to join the river cruise?" "Yep!)



[14] Right on: Even stronger than "Yep" is "Right on." You say "Right on!" when you want to convey an overwhelming sense of approval.



[15] Totally: Try saying this, it makes you feel so superior! [Example: "people have no idea about cleanliness!" "Totally!")



[16] Amen: This phrase goes all the way back to a Hebrew word, meaning "truth, certainty." It is usually said at the end of a prayer or hymn, and stands for "so be it." "Amen" is also used to express agreement or assent, sometimes in the form "Amen to that." There are others too. I have heard people say "No mistake, very much so!", "Certainly!", "Of course", and "You bet!" And now we have the emojis to help us say "Yes" without a single alphabet in the writing. Cool!



 



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What are the impacts of COVID-19 on the English language?



Self-isolation, quarantine, work from home and social distancing have become the new normal due to the coronavirus pandemic. The global health scare and the unforeseen circumstances it presented have been a completely new experience for everyone. It has altered not just the way we live but also our vocabulary.



In a very short period of time, words such as COVID-19, a shortening of coronavirus disease 2019, sanitization and social distancing came to dominate our conservations. Some of these words are new coinages and others, previously less-known.



Noticing this, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the world’s biggest English language dictionary, updated its record of English language in April to include COVID-19 and terms related to it.



The April update was a rare move as the OED usually updates its record only four times a year.



Did you know?



Previous pandemics have also given rise to new vocabulary. Words such as “pestilence” a fatal epidemic or disease – came into use after the bubonic plague swept Europe between 1347 and 1351.



The adjective “self-quarantined” was first used in 1878 to describe the actions of the villagers of Eyam in the 17th Century, who isolated themselves to prevent the second wave of “Black Death” from spreading to surrounding villages.



Some others words that were added to the dictionary during the pandemic:



Social distancing



Social distancing was originally an attitude rather than a physical term. Now we all understand it as keeping a physical distance between ourselves and others to avoid infection.



Self-isolation



Self-imposed isolation to prevent catching or transmitting an infectious disease has become a popular term. But back in the 1800s, the term referred to countries that chose to detach themselves politically and economically from the rest of the world.



WFH



“Working (or work) from home, wither as a regular or permanent alternative to office work or on an occasional or temporary basis.”



Elbow bump



A gesture (usually of greeting or farewell) in which two people lightly tap their elbows together as an alternative to a handshake or embrace, in order to reduce the risk of spreading or catching an infectious disease.



PPE



Personal protection equipment is designed to provide the wearer or user protection against hazardous substances or environments, or to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. Formerly, the abbreviation was used only by healthcare and emergency professionals.



Infodemic



Infodemic (a portmanteau word from information and epidemic) is the outpouring of often unsubstantiated media and online information relating to a crisis.



 



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