how would you describe "yee-haw"

[gorcorps]

Yes, a semi-serious question

I work with some Japanese engineers, and today in a meeting one of our local guys quietly said "yee-haw" once we decided how we were going to get through an issue. One of the engineers asked me what yee-haw meant and I had trouble describing it to him. I mean it's usually just a silly western expression of excitement or "let's go!", but it was hard to explain that it was being used sarcastically here... like a "oh great, here we go again" type of thing.

Anyway, it just got me thinking. There's a lot of expressions we all just kind of grow up with but when tasked with explaining them it's pretty hard to do.

 

[SaurusX]

An exclamation of joy.

 

[ViRGE]

Yatta

 

[SaurusX]

Shoryuken.

 

[twinrider1]

Of the top of my head, I think yee and haw are steering commands for mules.

 

[highland145]

Of the top of my head, I think yee and haw are steering commands for mules.

Similar to port and starboard on a ship.


Brandon........exactly.

 

[Possessed Freak]

??

 

[Rakehellion]

Japanese don't understand sarcasm.

 

[Newell Steamer]

I wouldn't use yee-haw. I would indeed use; "oh great, here we go again".

 

[clamum]

It can be used in different ways, at least IMO.

"Yee-haw!" While flying down a mountain on a snowboard: excitement.

"Yee-haw..." While rolling your eyes at a meeting: you don't think too highly of the mandatory weekend work being required.

"Yee-haw" In response to a question: affirmative, let's go, etc.

 

[vbuggy]

banzai

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's hard to define colloquialisms if you don't understand the culture. It's a catch 22. Try "yolo " instead of yeehaw.
Maybe “Shareta!” according to my google fu.

 

[LevelSea]

fuzakeruna!

 

[SlitheryDee]

Yatta!

 

[Meghan54]

Great! or Yippee! and then tell him it was said sarcastically, if done so. I'm sure the Japanese understand the concept of sarcasm. Not so hard at all.

 

[CZroe]

Ugh, it's no different than wah-hoooo. Mario says "wah-hooo" so I don't think they'd have a real problem with understanding it.

 

[Gibsons]

American foreign policy for about an 8 year period. :whiste:

 

[JulesMaximus]

American foreign policy for about an 8 year period. :whiste:

Pretty much this. And this.