Nae

Part of speech: adverb, determiner

Definitions

1. The Scots word meaning no or not, used to deny or refuse something in northern British dialect
2. A Scottish dialect form expressing negation, equivalent to the standard English words no or not
3. A negative particle in Scots speech and writing, used in the sense of no, not or none

Etymology: Scots "nae" is a close relative of the English "no" and "not," and it comes from the same Old English source. In Old English the negative was "nā," a contraction of "ne" (not) and "ā" (ever), so it literally meant "never." Over the centuries that word split into forms that spread in different directions. In the north of England, the variant "nā" was pronounced with a long vowel, and in Scots it developed into "nae," which is now used as an adverb meaning "not" and as a determiner meaning "no," as in "nae bother" (no trouble). The same root gave English "no" as well as "none," "nor," and "not," so the Scots form is a regional cousin of words used every day in standard English. Its most familiar appearance is in the Scots phrase "Ye cannae say nae," which uses "nae" as a negative beside the verb "cannae" (cannot). The word is still widely spoken in Scotland and parts of northern England, though it sits within the Scots language rather than standard English.

Synonyms: no, not

Antonyms: yes, aye