yes-or-no
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Meaning
Requiring a direct answer of either 'yes' or 'no'
Offering or consisting of only two mutually exclusive alternatives
Structure
Usage
The lawyer asked the witness a series of yes-or-no questions.
Please answer with a simple yes-or-no response.
It wasn't a yes-or-no situation; there were many factors to consider.
Etymology
The compound "yes-or-no" is a modern English phrasal construct, formed by directly linking the two fundamental particles of affirmation and negation with the disjunctive conjunction "or". Each component has deep Germanic roots: "yes" evolved from an Old English expression of assent, "no" from a reinforced negation, and "or" from a term indicating alternative choice. This tripartite structure logically encapsulates the concept of a binary choice, transforming simple, ancient adverbs into a hyphenated adjective that explicitly denotes a closed, two-option framework. Its formation reflects a pattern of lexicalization where a common spoken phrase becomes a fixed compound to describe a specific type of question or decision.
Analysis
- yes: From Old English 'gēse, gīse', likely a contraction of 'gēa sīe' meaning "may it be so". It functions as an affirmative particle. - or: From Old English 'oþþe', meaning a conjunction used to connect alternatives. It functions as a coordinating conjunction. - no: From Old English 'nā', a compound of 'ne' (not) + 'ā' (ever). It functions as a negative particle.