Y all isn a word

Y’all is one of the best words in the English language. And the dictionary will back me up.

Sure, a lot of people see y’all as hopelessly hillbilly. In the purist’s mind, if a word could wear gingham, spit tobacco, marry its cousin at age 14, or have a few teeth missing, that word would be y’all. In recent years, y’all has also been usurped by the gangsta culture. Do a Twitter search on y’all and you’ll see what I mean.

I love y’all because it’s inclusive as well as precise. Let’s look at an example from everyday life. When you’re talking to more than one person at a time, would you ask, «Would you like some crinkle-cut french fries?» You might pose this pivotal question in such a way if you were trying to be proper. But then you’d have to make eye contact with everyone, to make sure each person understood that crinkle-cut fries were in their future. (Everyone should have crinkle-cut fries in their future.) If you said, «Would y’all like some crinkle-cut french fries?,» then everyone would know they’re included and you wouldn’t have to make all that eye contact.

I’m not alone in my defense of y’all. The word  actually fills a linguistic void created when thou and ye fell out of favor. Here’s what The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Fourth Edition (page 1997 of the hardcover edition) says about you-all, of which y’all is a contraction:

«You and you-all preserve the singular/plural distinction that English used to have in thou and ye, the subject forms of singular and plural you, respectively (thee and you were the singular and plural object forms). The distinction between singular thou/thee and plural ye/you began to blur as early as the 13th century, when the plural form was often used for the singular in formal contexts or to indicate politeness, much as the French use tu for singular and familiar «you,» and vous for both plural and plite singular ‘you.'»

The dictionary goes on to say that «the distinction between singular and plural you is just as useful as that between other singular and plural pronoun forms, such as I and we.»

Let me recap: Though its usage is «chiefly Southern U.S.,» as the dictionary states, you-all and y’all serve important functions in our language. So now y’all bitches can stop hatin’ on the word y’all.

Sorry about that; I just had a gangsta moment.

Of course, some people take y’all to the extreme. Years ago, when Nick and I lived in Atlanta, he invited a friend from work over for dinner. The friend, who I believe was from Alabama, asked, «What time should I come over to y’all’s house?» In that instance, I’m pretty sure your house would have been sufficiently inclusive. Then there are those who have forgotten the purpose y’all serves, and who, as a result, say things like «I love all y’all so much!» (Usually a sentence like this is spoken after too much bourbon and branch water.)

And there you have it. You should say y’all with pride. It’s inclusive, it’s precise (well, sort of), it’s charming, and it’s one of the few things left in our increasingly homogenized culture that is «chiefly Southern U.S.» At a minimum, don’t you think y’all sounds much nicer than you-uns or youse guys? And while we’re on the subject, is there some interesting regional slang you use or hear frequently? I want to hear from all y’all!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Y’all (pronounced yawl^[2]) is a contraction of you and all, sometimes combined as you-all. Y’all is the main second-person plural pronoun in Southern American English, with which it is most frequently associated,^[3] though it also appears in some other English varieties, including African-American English and South African Indian English. It is usually used as a plural second-person pronoun, but whether it is exclusively plural is a perennial subject of discussion.

History[edit]

Y’all is a contraction of you all. The spelling you-all in second-person plural pronoun usage was first recorded in 1824.^[4][5] The earliest two attestations with the actual spelling y’all are from 1856,^[6] and in the Southern Literary Messenger (published in Richmond, Virginia) in 1858.^[7] Although it appeared in print sporadically in the second half of the nineteenth century in the Southern United States, its usage did not accelerate as a whole Southern regional phenomenon until the twentieth century.^[8]

It is not certain whether its use began specifically with black or white residents of the South, both of whom use the term today;^[9] one possibility is that the term was brought by Scots-Irish immigrants to the South, evolving from the earlier Ulster Scots term ye aw.^[10][11][12] An alternative theory is that y’all is a calque of Gullah and Caribbean creole via earlier dialects of African-American English.^[13] However, most linguists agree that y’all is likely an original form, deriving from original processes of grammar and morphological change, rather than being directly transferred from any other English dialects.^[13]

Y’all manifested at different times in various dialects of English, including Southern American English and South African Indian English, suggesting parallel, independent development,^[14] while emergence in Southern and African-American Vernacular English closely correlates in time and place.

The spelling y’all is the most prevalent in print, ten times that of ya’ll;^[15] much less common spelling variants include yall, yawl, and yo-all.^[9]

Linguistic characteristics[edit]

Functionally, the emergence of y’all can be traced to the merging of singular («thou») and plural («ye») second-person pronouns in Early Modern English.^[13] Y’all thus fills in the gap created by the absence of a separate second-person plural pronoun in standard modern English. Y’all is unique in that the stressed form that it contracts (you-all) is converted to an unstressed form.^[15]

The usage of y’all can satisfy several grammatical functions, including an associative plural, a collective pronoun, an institutional pronoun, and an indefinite pronoun.^[10][16]

Y’all can in some instances serve as a «tone-setting device to express familiarity and solidarity.»^[17] When used in the singular, y’all can be used to convey a feeling of warmth towards the addressee.^[18] In this way, singular usage of y’all differs from French, Russian or German, where plural forms can be used for formal singular instances.^[18]

Singular usage[edit]

There is historic disagreement whether y’all is primarily or exclusively plural,^[13] with debate steming from the late nineteenth century to the present.^[16] While some Southerners hold y’all is only properly used as a plural pronoun, counter evidence suggests usage include singular references,^{[9][15][18][19]} particularly amongst non-Southerners.^[20]

H. L. Mencken, in recognizing the typical plural reference of y’all, acknowledged observation of the singular reference, writing-

is a cardinal article of faith in the South. … Nevertheless, it has been questioned very often, and with a considerable showing of evidence. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, to be sure, you-all indicates a plural, implicit if not explicit, and thus means, when addressed to a single person, ‘you and your folks’ or the like, but the hundredth time it is impossible to discover any such extension of meaning.

— H. L. Mencken, The American Language Supplement 2: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States, 1948, p.337^[21]

Possessive forms[edit]

The existence of the genitive (or possessive) form y’all’s indicates that y’all functions as a pronoun as opposed to a phrasal element.^[17] The possessive form of y’all has not been standardized; numerous forms can be found, including y’alls, y’all’s, y’alls’s, you all’s, your all’s, and all of y’all’s.^[16]

All y’all[edit]

All y’all, all of y’all, and alls y’all are used by some speakers to indicate a larger group than is necessarily implied by simply y’all.^[22] All y’all can also be used for emphasis; the existence of this etymologically pleonastic form is further evidence that speakers now perceive y’all as a grammatically indivisible unit.^[16]

Regional usage[edit]

United States[edit]

Y’all has been called «perhaps the most distinctive of all grammatical characteristics» of Southern American English, as well as its most prominent characteristic.^[13] Linguist Walt Wolfram and English professor Jeffrey Reaser wrote, «No word in the American English vocabulary probably carries as much regional capital.»^[24] People who move to the South from other regions often adopt the usage, even when other regional usages are not adopted.^[25] Outside the southern United States, y’all is most closely associated with African-American Vernacular English.^[26] African Americans took Southern usages with them during the twentieth-century exodus from the South to cities in the northeastern United States and other places within the nation. In urban African-American communities outside of the South, the usage of y’all is prominent.^[27]

The use of y’all as the dominant second person-plural pronoun is not necessarily universal in the Southern United States. In some dialects of the Ozarks and Great Smoky Mountains, for example, it is common to hear you’uns (a contraction of «you ones») used instead.^[16] Other forms have also been used increasingly in the South, including you guys.^[16]

A survey conducted in 1996 reported 49% of non-Southerners and 84% of Southerners used y’all or you-all in conversation, with a subsequent 1994 survey returning a 5% increase by both groups.^[16]

South Africa[edit]

In South Africa, y’all appears across all varieties of South African Indian English.^[28] Its lexical similarity to the y’all of the United States may be coincidental.^[28]

Rest of the world[edit]

Y’all appears in other dialects of English, including Maori English in New Zealand, and dialects of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha,^[29] and Newfoundland and Labrador.^[30]

See also[edit]

• English personal pronouns
• Ye (pronoun)
• Yinz

References[edit]

How are y’all doing? If you find yourself using this sturdy Southernism in a piece of writing, be sure your apostrophe is in the proper place.

While we’re all used to hearing this word spoken, its punctuation doesn’t always translate when we go to put it on paper.

The confusion usually arises from a lack of understanding of the word’s basic construction, and once we break this down, it’s actually a piece of cake to remember the correct spelling.

What is the Difference Between Y’all and Ya’ll?

In this post, I will outline the differences between these two spellings and advise you on their future use.

After reading this post, you shouldn’t ever again second-guess yourself by thinking, “Is it spelled y’all or ya’ll?”

When to Use Y’all

How do you spell y’all? When people get hung up on the spelling of this word, it’s usually because they don’t think about what the word is actually meant to communicate. It’s a word that is spoken much more than written.

Y’all is a contraction of two different words: you-all. A contraction is a shortened word formed by omitting or combining some of the sounds of a longer word or phrase.

For example, don’t is a contraction formed from the two words do not.

Can’t is a contraction formed from the longer word cannot.

Similarly, y’all takes the two words you-all and combines them to make one single word: y’all.

• “You literally act like you have won something. Y’all are so gone from reality.” –The Dallas Morning News
• “Y’all can’t see this,” one woman said walking away and warning others. –The Washington Post

As with all contractions, an apostrophe is placed where the omission has occurred to indicate that a contraction has been formed.

When to Use Ya’ll

How do you spell ya’ll? As we stated in the above section, y’all is a contraction of the words you-all. The apostrophe stands in place for the second and third letters of “you.”

Ya’ll, therefore, is a misspelling and should be avoided in writing.

Not only is y’all the logical spelling, but also it is the overwhelmingly preferred spelling by writers, editors, publishers, etc. Garner’s Modern American Usage Dictionary estimates that y’all appears in print ten times more than does ya’ll.

This ngram, while not exact, confirms the clear and overwhelming preference for y’all.

If you do happen to use ya’ll, by accident or otherwise, expect to raise a few eyebrows.

Is Y’all Singular or Plural?

Y’all is sometimes used when speaking to a single person, leading to the mistaken belief that it also functions as a second person singular pronoun. This is not the case.

The American Heritage Dictionary has a great usage note on the use of y’all, and it identifies the many unique circumstances where y’all can be used when speaking to a single person yet remain a plural pronoun.

For example, one use is called the associative plural, meaning “you as an individual and also your family or associates.”

• What are y’all doing for dinner tonight?

In this sentence y’all is being used as a plural pronoun, but, in a conversation, you might say this to an individual person. No worries; y’all is still plural.

Can Y’all be Used in Formal Writing?

While it is common to hear in everyday speech (especially among American Southerners), y’all is not to be used in formal writing.

It is part of a regional U.S. dialect and is usually out of place in formal writing outside of direct quotations (both of our examples above were quotations).

Also, most formal writing does not accept contractions as a general rule of thumb. Y’all, of course, is a contraction.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Now that you know the construction behind y’all vs. ya’ll, I can show you an easy trick that can mentally assist you the next time you are stuck.

If you are still unsure when to use ya’ll or y’all, just remember that the apostrophe in the word indicates the omission of letters.

Once you remember this, think what letters are left out. Y’all stands for you all, so y’all is the only logical, correct choice.

Summary

There is only one correct way to spell y’all, and that is with the apostrophe between the “y” and the “all.”

Y’all is a contraction of you all.

Ya’ll is a misspelling of y’all.

The South is known for its laundry list of unique, quirky, cultural sayings, like «Bless your heart,» «Too big for his britches,» and «Well, I s’wanee,» to name a few. But the best-known word in the Southern vernacular is probably our most-loved pronoun: y’all. A contraction of «you» and «all» is what forms «y’all» when addressing or referencing two or more people. Here’s everything you need to know about this Southern phrase.

How To Spell Y’all

The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes this phrase as a variant of «you all» and the origin as chiefly Southern U.S. It also states there is a correct—and incorrect—way to spell this fond colloquialism. This familiar pronoun is even included in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which is a trusted, go-to source for Southern Living copy editors. The only proper way to spell the contraction of «you» and «all» is «y’all.»

Put together «you all,» and you get «y’all,» just as «cannot» becomes «can’t» and «do not» becomes «don’t.» Think about the term in this sense, and you’ll be less likely to misspell it.

«Ya’ll» is incorrect and a misspelling of the word, so don’t use it. When you think about it, «y’all» makes the most sense as the spelling when using it similarly to basic contractions.

How Y’all Is Growing Beyond the South

According to language learning software Babbel, the use of «y’all» beyond a geographically-specific dialect is increasing in popular culture because it solves an English language problem. Unlike French, German, and Spanish languages, the English language does not have a designed second-person plural pronoun.

Using «y’all» also adds a gender-neutral variation to the familiar phrase «you guys.» The phrase «you guys» often refers to a group of two or more people, regardless of gender, and is commonly used throughout the U.S.

Variations of Y’all

Though «y’all» is inherently plural, in addressing a larger group of people, «all y’all» is an occasionally used casual phrase. Like all soda is called Coke, and all tea is sweet unless otherwise noted, «y’all» is a crucial piece of Southern verbiage deeply engrained in our culture.

As in the South, different parts of the U.S. and worldwide have their own versions of «y’all,» according to Babbel. Some of these include «yinz» in the Ozarks, Appalachians, and western Pennsylvania and «you lot» in the United Kingdom and Australia.

So there you have it, y’all. Think you’re a pro at Southern sayings? Test your knowledge with our list of lesser-known Southern phrases. Check out more familiar Southern slang terms to see which ones you use most in everyday conversation.

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• ya’ll, yall, yo’ll, yoll, you-all, you all

Etymology[edit]

Contraction of you all. Attested since at least 1631.

Compare Dutch jullie (originally jij lui (literally “you people”)) for a similar development of a new plural pronoun out of Proto-Germanic *jīz that originally was already plural.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /jɔl/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /jɑl/

• Audio (Southern US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːl
• Homophone: yawl

Pronoun[edit]

y’all (second-person plural nominative or objective, possessive determiner y’all’s, possessive pronoun y’all’s, reflexive y’allselves)

1. (now chiefly Southern US, African-American Vernacular, Appalachia, Caribbean) plural of you

   • 1631, William Lisle, The Faire Æthiopian:

     […] and this y’all know is true, […]

   • 1987, Judson D. Hale, The education of a Yankee: an American memoir, page 3:

     Much later, after dozens of the men had come up to me to shake my hand (with both of theirs) and say «Y’all come back soon, hear? …

   • 2007, Roy Blount, Long time leaving: dispatches from up South, page 117:

     People in the South do indeed seem to be addressing a single person as «y’all.» For instance, a restaurant patron might ask a waiter, «What y’all got for dessert tonight?» In that case, «y’all» refers collectively to the people who run the restaurant.

Usage notes[edit]

• The form y’all is heard primarily in the Southern United States, and nationwide in AAVE. Recently, the form has begun to be used by other American English speakers as well, though still less commonly than you guys.^[2] For other second-personal plural pronouns, see you.
• In the past, y’all was never used as a proper singular, but it may have been used with an implied plural, e.g. «you [and your team],» «you [and your coworkers],» «you [and your family].» Due to a cultural shift in the United States by non-Southerners using the word, it is now rarely also used as a singular you,^[3] although most (increasing) non-Southern / non-AAVE use is, like Southern and AAVE use, plural.^[2]
• Notwithstanding its etymology, the all in y’all is merely a plural marker, not a quantifier. Thus, just as us may refer either to some of us or all of us in standard English, y’all may refer either to some of y’all or to all [of] y’all.
• Y’all is not considered informal speech, but is also not considered formal — You all would, to a few, be considered more formal, but is not required in formal situations nor is it encouraged.

Synonyms[edit]

• See Thesaurus:y’all

Derived terms[edit]

• y’all means all
• Y’all Qaeda

[edit]

• y’all’s (possessive)
• all y’all (definitely plural)
• y’all two, y’all three, etc
• ya’ll
• y’awl
• allyou
• ya
• d’y’all

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

y’all (third-person singular simple present y’alls, present participle y’alling, simple past and past participle y’alled)

1. (transitive, intransitive, informal) To use the pronoun «y’all» (to).

   • 1971, Frank Deford, There she is: the life and times of Miss America:

     She blithely maintained that she could have smiled magnolias and «y’alled» her way out of any tight spots.

   • 1990, Paul Levy, Finger lickin’ good: a Kentucky childhood:

     With his swarthy complexion and jet black, straight hair, Louis was actually quite dashing. He wore his expensively cut clothes and heavy rings well, too. Besides his short stature, his most noticeable peculiarity was that he had a voice like Lytton Strachey’s, which moved alarmingly, in the middle of a sentence, or sometimes halfway through a word, from a booming bass to the high-pitched, almost whistling soprano of a boy whose voice has not yet broken. As he y’alled and drawled …

   • 1997, Terence Sieg, Golf travel’s guide to the world’s greatest golf destinations: the ultimate resource for the discriminating golfer:

     Indeed, non-Southerners may feel themselves «y’alled» to death down here, yet even the most stony- faced New Englander will be charmed by the warmth of the Cloister’s staff. The tradition of service is simply better and more deeply entrenched in the South than in any other region of the United States.

Determiner[edit]

y’all

1. The group spoken or written to.

   Have y’all ladies finished eating?

2. (especially African-American Vernacular) Your pl; y’all’s

   I need y’all help for a minute.

References[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

• -ally, Ally, Lyla, ally