Beginning the answer to any question with "Yeah, no..."
Much beloved by professional footballers this one, often used by rugby players and athletes in general;

Reporter "How are you feeling after such a tough match"
Footballer "Yeah, no, I'm feeling great"

Reporter "A new world record, you must be delighted"
Sprinter "Yeah, no, I'm over the moon"

Which is it, yes, or no? It cannot be both, or they'd just cancel each other out.
(lardyboy Next stop, Fissplap Central, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 13:58, 6 replies)

Strangely,
I cannot stop myself from doing it. I hate it, but it comes out before I've realised.
( Colonel Boris "...a desperate Buzzfeed imitation...", Thu 8 Apr 2010, 14:22, closed)

^Same Here^
I think I'm going to have to start washing my mouth out with soap every time I say it.
( VandenPlas can't think of anything clever - no change there!, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 16:07, closed)

Are they mostly sports people of the Kiwi persuasion? Apparently it is a very NZ thing to say, according to my British friends.....
(Magrat rockin' your undies since, Fri 9 Apr 2010, 0:54, closed)

Linked but off-topic
People who shake their heads for emphasis when they say "Yes".

Actors do it a lot. Sometimes intentionally, to suggest their character doesn't really believe what they're saying, but more often just because they're shit actors.
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Fri 9 Apr 2010, 13:48, closed)

Indians too
Chap at a place I once worked, got outsourced* to an Indian firm. All of the young Indians that came over to learn how to do his job would shake their heads and say yes or nod and say no. Guess it's a cultural thing, but it caused no end of confusion.

*another word I really hate
(lardyboy Next stop, Fissplap Central, Fri 9 Apr 2010, 16:22, closed)

Someone I know started doing this....
so naturally we ripped the piss out of her for it. The jibes lost their sting somewhat when we realised that we had all picked up the habit as well.

Cured now.
( kappynitty doubled your entendre on, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 11:47, closed)