Nae Nowts
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Nae Nowts is a phrase commonly, but not exclusively, used in the Scottish Borders. It is used mostly in arguments, and allows the speaker to prevent their counterpart from stating the opposite point of view. It operates as the final statement in an dispute; once it has been spoken the dispute is over.
[edit] History and Origin
The origin of the phrase Nae Nowts is unknown. The words however are from the Scots dialect. "Nowts" is presumably a Scots form of "nothing", and "nae" the Scots form of grammatical negation.[1]
[edit] Usage
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It is commonly accepted that using the phrase "Nae Nowts" two or more times in an argument results in the speaker being unable to use the phrase again for a time period of 24 hours.
[edit] Psychological and Social Implications
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There are several theories that may help explain the use of Nae Nowts. It can show signs of insecurity in the user and their arguments, and an inability to promote one's own interests and opinions over another person's. Some theorists have commented that the use of the phrase may actually have the opposite effect from that which was desired. For instance, although the user of Nae Nowts may believe that they have "won" the argument, it demonstrates knowledge of a weakness in their argument that can only be overcome by preventing another person from expressing such a weakness. This is the view taken by social psychologists.
Nae Nowts can also be explained by using Max Weber's sociological perspective. The Social actions theory expresses individuals' interactions with others. Nae Nowts can be classified as a Value-rational action. This is an action that an individual may take to lead to a desired goal, but without direct thought towards the consequences. In relation to the phrase, the act of speaking Nae Nowts may give a short-term benefit to the speaker, however the wider implications, such as showing a weakness in their side of the argument, gives rise to consequences that may not have been intended.
It can also be explained with reference to the Marxist perspective of human behaviour. Use of the Nae Nowts phrase may be explained as a form of ideological suppression. The imposition of the views of the ruling class in society may theoretically explain the use of Nae Nowts. The user of the phrase wishes to impose their view onto others in the hope that it will be of benefit to their interests. This goes against the view of social libertarians, a branch of Marxism.
