The Horror of the Non-'NO' Nothing sets my bile on fire more than when people end their sentences with 'no?'. E.g., 'well, all art is essentially about art, no?', or 'this casual tacking on of an affirmative-sounding negative to the end of my utterance has completely anticipated and pre-empted your response, whether it was to be in agreement or disagreement, no?', or 'my inability to use the essentially unambiguous 'NO' in a direct and non-paradoxical manner reveals my secret penchant for intense passive-aggression, no?' or 'I am pretty sure what I am saying is absolutely and catagorically right, but for fear of appearing overbearing and egotistical I must make a token attempt at self-effacement, no?' I am an axe-murderer, no? You'd look beautiful in handcuffs, no? Hello, no?

You see, even if you disagree with them, if you answer 'no', it is as if you agree with them! This is because they have asked you for confirmation of their statement with a negative, and if you answer in the negative it is actually an agreement with the negative that they have used!

When people use this in speech, I find I turn pale and must take a few moments to compose myself before continuing to converse with them. I confess, this little linguistic sna-foo can wreck a romance for me. And when people have the audacity to use this in writing it makes me fly into a unimaginable passion! Commentators in forums or blogs are particularly adept at the non-no.

Listen, no is no, and yes is yes, no? Stop it, no? Stop it stop it stop it, no? You know? No?

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This is a sure sign that Betta is drinking, depressed and procrastinating. Get off yer' behind and do some work, ya lubber! I might have to lay off this blog for awhile, it is becoming too much of a crutch, an Ego Surrogate.  ¶ 11:25 AM