"Y’all, sometimes spelled as Ya’ll, Yawl, or Yaw, and archaically spelled You-all, is a fused grammaticalization of the phrase you all. It is used primarily as a plural second-person pronoun, and less often as a singular second-person pronoun… There appears to be an increasing tendency, especially on the Internet, to spell it without the apostrophe, yall." - [Random Blog]
"Y’all, sometimes spelled as Ya’ll, Yawl, or Yaw, and archaically spelled You-all, is a fused grammaticalization of the phrase you all. It is used primarily as a plural second-person pronoun, and less often as a singular second-person pronoun… There appears to be an increasing tendency, especially on the Internet, to spell it without the apostrophe, yall." - [Random Blog]
I use it. Y'all use it. Now y'all have some background. Who the heck are "You guys", anyway?
If you have ever been to St. Louis, you'll know that they say "youse guys" LOL
The only logical explanation I can think of for the butchered version "ya'll" is that someone mistook it for "you'll" (as in you+will) ????? The location of apostrophes is something that just drives people crazy (and that most will get wrong and/or use unnecessarily anyway). Which may be another reason "ya'll" doesn't get caught when proof-reading?
On a related note, if in Southern you want to say "You will live to regret it one day", would it be "Y'all'll live to regret it one day"???
Sorry, couldn't resist...
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"To be an Auburn man or woman you have to have the Auburn gene. From the outside looking in you can't understand it, from the inside looking out you can't explain it." - Unknown
War Eagle!!!!
Last edited by TigerzBaby; 05-26-2009 at 12:56 PM.
"To me Auburn is not in Auburn, Alabama. Auburn is the people who care about Auburn, the people who love Auburn. Wherever they are, that’s Auburn, Auburn is in your heart. You play for it."
I think we just identified the first double contraction!
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"To be an Auburn man or woman you have to have the Auburn gene. From the outside looking in you can't understand it, from the inside looking out you can't explain it." - Unknown
That one isn't self-explanatory, will you please use it in a sentence? (i.e., is that short for "y'all aren't" or "y'all didn't" or "y'all won't" or "y'all can't"????
__________________
"To be an Auburn man or woman you have to have the Auburn gene. From the outside looking in you can't understand it, from the inside looking out you can't explain it." - Unknown
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"To be an Auburn man or woman you have to have the Auburn gene. From the outside looking in you can't understand it, from the inside looking out you can't explain it." - Unknown
Y'all has been a part of my vocabulary since introduced in the early 80's by my Granny. She is well versed in the Southern Usage Dictionary. I am very fond of this word but until now have I been educated in the correct spelling for print. Thank you ugahater.
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Darkness cannot resist the Light.
Y'all. It's just right.
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