Y is for Y'all


Today is Alphabee-Thursday.
That means my blog is currently being brought to you by the letter Y.
and...
is for

Yes...today is going to be a grammar lesson.
I'm back from my Family Reunion with kinfolk from up north, and I must say...I had to educate a few of them on a most important word in English language. (and sadly..I had to do the same to some of my southern relations, too, who should know better.)

The word "y'all".
Simple enough of a word.
One syllable...unless drawn out with a southern twang...which I sometimes tend to do.

Now, Dictionary.com claims that this word is a pronoun.(used in direct address to two or more persons, or to one person who represents a family, organization, etc.)
And I guess it is, but more importantly, it is a CONTRACTION for "you all".

When trying to spell this word correctly, just follow the contraction rules!
1. put two words together (youall)
2. throw away some letters (youall -ou)
3. put the apostrophe where the missing letters go (y'all)

see??
Easy peasy!

So why do SO MANY PEOPLE get it wrong???
It drives me up the wall to see "ya'll."
There is no /a/ in "you"...so why do some people lump it with the /y/???

Yes..my pet peeve. But I'm doing my best to educate the word.

Just another service I offer!

So...now that you know...I hope you will not only use this glorious word, but spell it correctly, too!

Thank you for reading this rant and y'all come back now, ya hear?

Jenny Matlock000

Comments

Lola said…
Such an interesting & informative 'Y' post.

Happy Alphabe-Thursday!

LOLA:)

PS Mine this time is HERE. Hope you can join me!
July 8, 2010 at 9:37 AM
GardenOfDaisies said…
LOL!!!! I am so with you. :-)
But I better not complain too loudly, because I am a poor typist and sometimes make errors when my fingers hit the wrong keys.
July 8, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Angie said…
I also hate it when people misspell y'all!!!!

Looking forward to reunion pictures.
July 8, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Cathy said…
I use the word in talking, not as much in writing. But since Y'all taught me how to spell, maybe I'll start using it even more.
July 8, 2010 at 12:23 PM
Anonymous said…
This a very popular word here in South Carolina.
July 8, 2010 at 1:35 PM
PERMANENT POSIES said…
Well, that is one of my favorite words. We also say tump (tip/dump). That is a Texas word but not just any part of Texas, I found out when I went to school in West Texas. It is a NE Texas word. I am fascinated with local jargon. My friend from Ohio says da-gone....slang...like dang. The other day in Bible study, we were reading about the Philistine god named Dagon...and the reader pronounced it da-gone. Devil word! hahaha I turned to my friend and asked if that was where those northerners got that word....ha. Y'all....easy peasy. I'm with you, girl.
July 8, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Life@Cee said…
Thanks for the tip. I too am from the south, but evidently I was misspelling one of my favorite words.

Cee
July 8, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Cheryl D. said…
I didn't realize people misspell that word. I'm a California girl and I use it a lot when I write, which is strange. It just seems that there is a need for a plural you. Good post!
July 8, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Jo said…
geez, i thought it was spelled "yall" ... well i am canadian so blame it on that ... it is one of my fave words though!
July 8, 2010 at 11:59 PM
VKT said…
Hiiiiiiiiii sweet lady.....y'all should all come back because my blogging buddy Bits N Pieces always keeps me entertained with her posts.....have missed reading them my friend. Have a wonderful week-end)))))))
July 9, 2010 at 12:45 AM
Maggie said…
Great post, I have a friend (a Dallas Gal) who I'm sure I've heard say "y'all, y'all" but I can't remember why??
Her husband always says he's "fixin'" to do something, instead of, going to do something which always makes me smile.
July 9, 2010 at 1:32 AM
Terra said…
LOL - Y'all is a funny little word.
July 9, 2010 at 7:12 AM
Pondside said…
When we lived in Oklahoma it took a time before I realized that I was the only one being addressed by the y'all. What an original take on 'Y'.
July 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Pondside said…
When we lived in Oklahoma it took a time before I realized that I was the only one being addressed by the y'all. What an original take on 'Y'.
July 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Deborah Kay at The Paint Splash said…
Thank you for the grammar lesson. I would never had know that I was spelling it wrong. Although I don't think I have ever actually written the word. Our daughter moved to Texas about 15 years ago so I am STARTING to understand some of what her husband has to say lol. Couldn't ask for a better southern gentlemen. Have a great day. Debbie
July 9, 2010 at 12:16 PM
Christy said…
Hmm, now I wonder if I ever spelled it wrong. My great uncle was from a teeny town in Mississippi and he always said "Cha'all come back and see us now Ya hear!"
Y'all are so smart!
July 9, 2010 at 1:41 PM
Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said…
excellent y post,
it seems like you have done your homework.
smiles!
July 9, 2010 at 3:15 PM
signed...bkm said…
Thank you so much for the education....lovely site....enjoyed meeting Y'all here...bkm
July 10, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Viki said…
Since I'm not from the south, I just put you all lol.
July 10, 2010 at 6:13 PM
Jenny said…
What a cute stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "Y"!

I know all y'all probably enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thanks for the tutorial...and thanks for helping make this such a fun meme!

Yippee!

A+
July 11, 2010 at 4:31 PM
Betty said…
I don't use the word speaking or writing. I guess it's because I grew up in NJ and it was rarely heard there. Now I'm in Texas, but I only hear it once in a while. Have a good day Y'all.
July 12, 2010 at 7:05 AM
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