The short form is pronounced like “yellow,” but what is the actual spelling? Is it “y`all”? An official mention of spelling? Example application: “Where are you all going”. Pronounced like “Where do the yellows go”. Would it be written like “Where are you all going?” In formal environments, “all of you” is never contracted as “y`all” (or hyphenated). It is pronounced as it seems: “all of you”, without contraction. Things get even more complicated when the possessive form of the word is used. For example: As with all contractions, an apostrophe is placed where the omission occurred to indicate that a contraction has formed. Y`all is a contraction of two different words: all of you. A contraction is an abbreviated word formed by omitting or combining certain sounds from a longer word or phrase. While “y`all” is not generally considered appropriate for formal writing, it is not an inappropriate or incorrect term, nor does it indicate a lack of understanding of English grammar or language. It`s just another way language has evolved over time to provide us with an indispensable second-person plural pronoun.
So use it fearlessly when talking to friends – especially in the South – but avoid it in academic papers or professional communications. It is not certain that its use began specifically with the black or white inhabitants of the South; [4] One possibility is that the term was brought south by Scottish-Irish immigrants and evolved from the earlier term Ulster-Scots ye aw. [10] [11] [12] An alternative theory is that y`all is a calque of gullah and Caribbean Creole on earlier dialects of African-American English. [7] However, most linguists agree that y`all is probably an original form derived from original processes of grammatical and morphological change and has not been directly translated from other English dialects. [7] The existence of the genitive (or possessive) form y`all`s suggests that y`all functions as a pronoun as opposed to a phrasal element. [16] The possessive form of y`all is not standardized; There are many forms, including y`alls, y`all`s, y`alls, you all`s, your all`s, and all of y`all`s.[15] It is part of a regional American dialect and generally has no place in formal scripture outside of direct quotations (our two examples above were quotations). Functionally, the emergence of y`all dates back to the fusion of the singular (“thou “) and plural (“ye”) pronouns of the second person in modern English. [7] Y`all thus fills the void created by the absence of a distinct second-person plural pronoun in Modern Standard English. Y`all is unique in that the accented form that contracts it (you-all) is transformed into an unaccented form. [14] How do they write to all of you? When people are attached to the spelling of that word, it`s usually because they don`t think about what the word is supposed to communicate. It is a word that is spoken much more than written. The use of y`all as the dominant second-person plural pronoun is not necessarily universal in the southern United States.
In the dialects of the Ozarks and Great Smoky Mountains, for example, it is more typical to hear You`uns (a contraction of “you ones”) instead. [15] Other forms were also increasingly used in the South, including the use of you. [15] In some cases, you can all serve as a “way to set the tone to express familiarity and solidarity.” [16] When used in the singular, y`all can be used to give the recipient a sense of warmth. [17] In this way, the singular use of y`all differs from French, Russian or German, where plural forms can be used for singular formal instances. [17] Although “y`all” is actually a contraction of “you all” and is therefore technically correct, it is most often used instead of the plural form of “you”. The apostrophe after the “y” represents the lost “ooo” sound of the letters O and U. This explains why the spelling sometimes seen as “ya`ll” is wrong. The South is known for its long list of unique, original and cultural sayings – like “Bless your heart,” “Too big for your breasts,” and “Well, I`m wanee,” to name just a few of our favorites. But the most well-known word in the southern colloquial language is probably our most popular pronoun: y`all. A contraction of “you” and “all” is what “y`all” forms when two or more people are addressed or referenced. Here`s everything you need to know about this southern phrase.
The South is known for its long list of unique, original and cultural sayings – like “Bless your heart,” “Too big for your breasts,” and “Well, I`m wanee,” to name just a few of our favorites. But the most well-known word in the southern colloquial language is probably our most popular pronoun: y`all. A contraction of “you” and “all” as defined by our Mason Dixonary, “y`all” is used to address or refer to two or more people. Although “y`all” is inherently plural, “all y`all” is more of an occasional and colloquial expression that is sometimes used. Just as everything is called soda cola and every tea is sweet, unless otherwise noted, “y`all” is a key piece of Southern vocabulary deeply rooted in our culture. Even Siri understands what that means now. In Spanish, the second personal pronoun is the plural ustedes or vosotros. In informal German, she says. While at one time English speakers could use “thou” for their second person, nowadays we are much more likely to use one of the above examples unless we quote Shakespeare. When someone says they “feel excited,” what does that mean? For whom can I say these words? For example, don`t is a contraction formed from the two words do not. The answer is yes.
“Ya`ll” is simply completely false. There is only one correct way to spell or use “y`all”, so whatever you do, don`t use the dreaded “ya`ll”. You may have heard people say that “y`all” is not proper English, but it`s really the misspelling “ya`ll” that can get you into trouble. Note, however, that there is some debate about the spelling of the possessive form of “y`all”. Some will spell it “y`all`s” while others will spell it “y`alls”. Since there does not seem to be an official answer, it is a matter of personal preference. Moreover, most formal scriptures do not accept contractions as a general rule. Y`all, of course, is a contraction. Although it is common to hear in everyday language (especially among American Southerners), y`all should not be used in formal writing. Once you remember, think about the letters that will be omitted.
Y`all represents all of you, so y`all is the only logical and fair choice. All y`all, all y`all, and alls y`all are used by some speakers to indicate a larger group than is necessarily implied by simply y`all. [21] Anything that also allows you to emphasize; The existence of this etymologically pleonastic form is further proof that today`s speakers perceive you all as a grammatically indivisible unit. [15] This is not only the logical spelling, but also the widely preferred spelling of authors, publishers, publishers, etc. Garner`s Modern American Usage Dictionary estimates that you all appear ten times more printed than you do. Y`all appeared at different times in different dialects of English, including South American English and South African Indian English, suggesting that it is probably a parallel but independent (unrelated) development in these two dialects. [13] However, its emergence in Southern vernacular English and African-American vernacular English is actually correlated in terms of basic time and place. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ABBREVIATIONS, SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS FOR If you still don`t know when to use ya`ll or y`all, remember that the apostrophe in the word indicates the omission of letters. Y`all is found, to a much lesser extent, in other dialects of English, including the dialects of Maori English in New Zealand, St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha,[28] and Newfoundland and Labrador. [29] Now that you know the construction behind y`all vs.
ya`ll, I can show you a simple trick that can help you mentally the next time you`re stuck. Y`all has been called “perhaps the most distinctive of all grammatical features” of South American English, as well as its most important feature. [7] Linguist Walt Wolfram and English professor Jeffrey Reaser wrote, “No word in the American English vocabulary probably carries so much regional capital.” [23] People moving south from other regions often adopt the use, even if other regional uses are not adopted. [24] Outside of the southern United States, y`all is most closely associated with African American vernacular English. [25] African Americans took with them the use of the South to cities in the northeastern United States and other parts of the country during the exodus of the twentieth century. In urban African-American communities outside the South, the use of y`all is predominant. [26] Similarly, y`all takes the two words you-all and combines them into one word: y`all. “Ya`ll” is incorrect and a misspelling of the word, so don`t use it. If you think about it, “y`all” makes the most sense as a spelling if you use it in the same way as basic contractions.
preply.com/en/question/abbreviation-for-four-times-a-day “Y`all” is a construction limited to certain American dialects, especially Southern and Western speakers. I`ve heard it rhyme with “wall” (pretty much – the vowel is easily removed/duplicated). There is a joke that mocks non-prestigious dialects: “Remember, you are everything is singular, everything is plural.” There is indeed some truth in the most difficult examples of the dialect.