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Proofreading Service - Pain in the English
Proofreading Service - Pain in the English

Your Pain Is Our Pleasure

24-Hour Proofreading Service—We proofread your Google Docs or Microsoft Word files. We hate grammatical errors with a passion. Learn More

Nope

Where does the word “nope” come from? Is it just slang for “no” or does it have more distinguished roots?

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I see Nope as an escalation in emphasis of the word No. There are three levels in this chain: No, Nope, and Hell-No.

Richard-the-geek Sep-02-2016

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Mikahbot is correct in noting that nope is slang for no. The answer to your question about where the word comes from is slightly more complicated.

The "pe" in "nope" and the "p" in "yep" represent the sound made when the vocal cords are pressed together to stop the exiting airflow, which is called the glottal stop.

This glottal stop is so commonly used at the end of "no" and "yes" that they are now represented in informal writing as "nope" and "yep".

Morgan1 Jul-17-2006

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Think of 'nope' as slang. 'No' has so many versions, it's impossible to count. I can think of a few. No - nope, nooo, nuh-uh are some of it. It's slang, just like saying 'yes' - yep, yessirrie, yup, ya-huh, and such.

Mikahbot Sep-29-2005

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Nopester... My nestled noun.. Couched in a flock of crow feathers.

0

banal_info Oct-18-2005

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In French they have a similiar phenomenon, where they add a 'p' to the end of 'ouai' ('yeah') to make it 'ouaip'.

Pete1 Dec-02-2005

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I just asked my sisters a question I forwarded to them both; both replied at some point in their opening sentences, 'nope'.... I emailed back commenting on the weirdness, as I never use 'nope' and although we now live in different provinces we started out with the same language background, are University educated etc AND we sound similar, read similar books, though have very different lifestyles. I use "nah" though in writing. So I searched google and found this site. I use 'yep' /yup all the time, but never nope. So that analogy didn't work for me. What country started up/uses 'nope' the most? Help please, the very sight/site of 'nope' intrigues me

jaq Aug-02-2007

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Morgan is correct except that the "p" sound results from the pressing together of the lips, and not the vocal cords, and is therefore a labial stop.
The addition of this sound will have started as an accidental addition, but happens so frequently that it has become common usage, being said deliberately and also being used in writing.

Helen2 Aug-03-2007

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Since there seems to be some frustration about this and I got curious, I went and looked it up. Here's what I found.

According to Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (the 15-pound 2nd edition) 'nope' is an informal variation of the word 'no'. It's listed as American and dates back to 1885-90. (cf. [compare to] yup.) The online Merriam-Webster says that nope dates from 1888, that its etymology is by alteration from the word 'no,' and that it sometimes is pronounce with a gutteral stop rather than a 'p' sound.

Patricia1 Apr-04-2008

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Would Nancy Reagan's Just Say No To Drugs campaign been more successful if it was Just Say Nope To Dope?

As comedian John Mulaney noted, In porn movies you hear lots of "Yea", "Oh Yeah","Uh-Huh","Mm-hmm","Yes YES!" but never "Yep"

Alan Omoly May-26-2016

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According to the Online Etymology Dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/):

nope
1888, emphatic form of no.

Unfortunately, not a lot of information exists here, but it at least gives you a timeframe to look at.

Tony1 Sep-28-2005

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STEVE... A PLACE FOR DRY WIT.

NOPE_IS_NOTHINGNESS Oct-24-2005

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I beleive that patricia is correct

mitchellmarko Dec-16-2010

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SH*************** A******************** F***************************************** D****

fukballz Mar-10-2014

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time farms out a bleak light. It is a humorous effect of dull and banal people encountered from everyday life. My post here affirms banality!

banal_info Nov-06-2005

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I just asked my sisters a question I forwarded to them both; both replied at some point in their opening sentences, 'nope'.... I emailed back commenting on the weirdness, as I never use 'nope' and although we now live in different provinces we started out with the same language background, are University educated etc AND we sound similar, read similar books, though have very different lifestyles. I use "nah" though in writing. So I searched google and found this site. I use 'yep' /yup all the time, but never nope. So that analogy didn't work for me. What country started up/uses 'nope' the most? Help please, the very sight/site of 'nope' intrigues me

cstarshine14 Apr-02-2008

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