I am curious as to what is the origin of the expression "nu" as "ja", as it is quite a strange divergence from the original word.
Thanks
asked Jan 24, 2015 at 11:54
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1Never heard it in this way. I know "nu" in "im Nu" (after a short time) or as an colloquial abbreviation of "nun" in "Und nu?" (And now?).– hellcodeCommented Jan 24, 2015 at 12:24
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1Where do they say that?– Em1Commented Jan 24, 2015 at 14:32
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3Sachsen. Klingt manchmal wie "no" und macht es noch verwirrender.– RobertCommented Jan 24, 2015 at 17:07
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1youtu.be/DWwN-Ni0KAg– Carsten SCommented Jan 24, 2015 at 20:05
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4Taken from morgenpost.de/kolumne/philipp/article828702/…: Der Dresden-Sachse gebraucht das "Nu" zuerst, um ja zu sagen oder sein Einverständnis zu erklären. Es beruht auf dem sprachlichen Ursprung des Landes, nämlich dem Slawischen. Noch heute sagen die Nachbarn in Tschechien "Ano" für "Ja", verkürzen aber meistens auf "No". Beim Sachsen heißt das "Nu".– hellcodeCommented Jan 25, 2015 at 10:51
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1 Answer
"Nu" is a word which is used regionally to express agreement or encouragement and then only in spoken language.
My grandmother was from Sudetenland which is now Czech Republic she used it. Also friends of mine from an area South of Leipzig in Saxonia are using it.
They usually say "Nu, nu" - I almost always heard them saying it twice in a row.
For example:
Question:
"Kann ich noch eine Tasse Kaffee haben?"
Response:
"Nu, nu ..."
Then the person would pour you a cup of coffee.
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3This is a nice start, because it gives an idea of the region where it is used, but I do not think that it attempts to answer the question of the origin of the word. Commented Jan 26, 2015 at 21:10
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