В Париже для меня слишком жарко! Нет уж, лучше Женева, там прохладнее!
I wonder if "нет уж" serves to emphasise the comparative "лучше" in some way? How is this expression usually used?
asked Jul 8, 2018 at 5:06
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1"Hell no, I'd rather go to Geneva"– shabunc ♦Commented Jul 14, 2018 at 18:45
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2 Answers
Yes, you're right, "нет уж" expression serves as an intensifier, introducing a (somewhat) emotional attitude of the speaker into the phrase, sometimes even as a joke. It does not add anything to the core meaning of the phrase.
Think of its meaning as of: "oh no(, you don't); no way you'd get me/him/her/us/... (agreeing to smth., doing smth., etc.); me no fool".
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1So basically you use it when an idea mentioned in a preceding sentence/clause is unthinkable to you? Commented Jul 8, 2018 at 6:10
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2Yes, although I'd not go as far as to call the idea 'unthinkable', just 'unacceptable' by some reason. Mind, you can use plain "нет" instead (in your examples, too) and loose not a bit of meaning. That "уж" together with "нет" just adds the emotional aspect. Or, I should repeat, it just adds a jokingly emotional aspect. Commented Jul 8, 2018 at 6:21
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1"Да уж" presents the similar use case, with a variant on emotion. The similar use case 'adds emotion' ("уж") to an assent ("да"). E.g. "да уж, в Париже сейчас жарко". Like, "you couldn't say truer than that, it's hot now in Paris". Notice you could use just "да" and get a phrase with a plain assent. The emotive variant uses "да уж" to express dissatisfaction on one's assent with resignation (as in submission). E.g. "да уж, в Париже [где мы сейчас находимся и не можем уехать], сейчас жарко". "Да уж" should be spoken with falling intonation in that case, if I'm not mistaken. Commented Jul 8, 2018 at 6:50
It's somewhat similar to the English "no thanks".
It's too hot for me in Paris! No thanks, Geneva is better, it's cooler there.
Уж is a snake an intensifier used after да/нет in answering questions or showing the speaker's agreement/disagreement, like/dislike, etc.
