Yes

I think its a Malaysian thing. Our mangled English (fondly referred to as 'Manglish') is such that some words - while derived from a major language such as Malay, English or Mandarin - have been mixed mashed and moulded to form a lexicon that is bastard, hybrid and, yet, totally original.

For instance, the word 'Ya'/ 'ya-lah', meaning 'yes' in Manglish. In Malay, the affirmative is 'ye (yia)' while in the Mandarin, it is 'sze'. The suffix '-lah' has an even more mixed parentage, originating from somewhere in between the Malay archipelago and the Chinese continent. Anyhow, 'ya' - derived and yet not derived from the melting pot of languages that make up the Malaysian audio experience - has come to be THE form of affirmative.

Now, I've just started working. Somehow I have decided that my working persona is to be something polished and dignified, you know, professional. So I try very hard not to use words that may chip at this thin veneer of professionalism I throw on everytime I speak to a client or even to a senior colleague.

Facetious? I beg to differ.

Anyway, I've come to use the word 'yes' intead of 'ya' or 'yup'. And I was pretty proud of my progress until I realised that I tended to say 'yes' with a curious sort of accent. It was a very knowing 'yes' - a very lecherously knowing 'yes'. Like the kind of thing someone would say when offered a .. a .. lecherousity. knowingly.

Yow.

Well. Anyway, I've stopped it. I know offer a rather non-commitant 'yeah'. Not a drawly beachbum type of 'yee-awh' but a very crisp 'yeah'. Like 'Yes' with aspirated 'h' instead of a sibilant 's'.

Sort of a best of both worlds but with a elocution problem. Well, you can't win 'em all.