Homework 2, Prescriptive & descriptive grammar, due September 9
The text below is taken from a blog entry by Alex Jones (labeled #2 below), and comments (labeled #3-#10) by readers. Please type your answers to the questions that appear at the end of the blog text (on page 2 of this assignment).
2.Y’all Vs. Ya’ll
Y’all
Y’all
Y’all
Damnit!
It is short for “you all” – get it right if you are going to use it. This is such a simple use of the language. It isn’t that hard to remember the basics of contractions from those early school years… Is it?
I had to correct someone on a Web development list today who proudly proclaimed he was a Texan (as well he should) and thus had the right to use the term. Then he spelled it wrong multiple times!
sigh
Comments
3.Angela says
Considering it’s the junction of “You and All” Y’all would be grammatically correct. Yall isn’t even a word and Ya’ll (Ya + ?) is incorrect.
4.John says
The original spelling is ya’ll because the “ya” was originally the more common spoken (slang) form of “you.” Eventually “you” overtook “ya” in spoken English in the south causing dispute on the spelling of “ya’ll” and “y’all.” When the term was added to dictionaries (and eventually electronic spell-checkers), the assumed spelling was “y’all” because “you+all” was the interpretation of people outside of the south, where dictionaries are published.
5.Jen says
I can’t express how disturbed I was when my iPhone tried to auto-correct my “ya’ll” to “y’all.” It just looks and feels completely wrong!! I grew up in Texas and I’ve always seen it spelled ya’ll. Anyway, it’s not a conventional contraction and it shouldn’t be treated like one! And if you MUST force it…it’s YA ALL so ya’ll is perfectly fine. :)
6.Selp From Georgia says
jen, it is a conventional contraction. There is absolutely nothing unconventional about it. You + All = y’all!
It’s actually more traditional than “you guys”. Romance languages use “you all”. “You guys” makes no freaking sense.
ya’ll might be perfectly fine for you, but it is not grammatically correct. have pride in your southern roots, but don’t help perpetuate the idea that southerners are stupid.
It’s y’all. It’s not debatable. You might as well argue that “do’nt is the same thing as “don’t.”
7.Austin says
“It’s y’all. It’s not debatable. You might as well argue that “do’nt is the same thing as “don’t.””
To reply to your above argument, y’all is more like d’not than do’nt.
Outside of won’t (which contracts both will and not) I can’t think of one contraction that contracts the first word.
Let us = Let’s
Is + not = Isn’t
Should + have = Should’ve
Would + not = Wouldn’t
Where + did = Where’d
They + have = They’ve
I + am = I’m
I + had/would = I’d
You + are = You’re
Could + not = Couldn’t
We + are = We’re
Do + not = Don’t
I + will = I’ll
You + will = You’ll
What + is = What’s
Notice how it’s always the second word that gets contracted? It is in this vein of reasoning I contend that: Ya + all = Ya’ll. This contraction of Ya’ll is accomplished without resorting to odd one-off contraction situations like won’t, ain’t, and ’twas.
8.Deedjae says
In all of your examples, ‘ll is a contraction meaning “will”. so ya’ll means“you will” not “you all”.
9.Michael says
I was born and raised in the south, the real south…..South Carolina. The proper spelling is Ya’ll……those from Texas like to change things up and claim that’s how they do it in the south….but remember….Texas was NEVER on of the ORIGINAL Colonies…… :-)
10.Michelle says
As a native Texan I have to say that I’ve never heard anyone (in my neck of the woods) say “ya all” or pronounce the word y’all broken into two syllables to make it sound like “ya all”. It is a contraction of you and all and it sounds like yawl. Seeing it spelled ya’ll chaps my hide. That is my two cents.
Questions:
- Because this is an argument about spelling, it is inherently about one of the two types of grammar we have discussed. Say which one it is (name it and say whether it is the same as the one linguists are primarily concerned with), and explain your answer.
2-10.In spite of the inherent focus on the kind of grammar that is the answer to #1, some of the specific arguments aboverely more on the other approach to looking at language. For each numbered entry (the original posting plus each comment) state which approach the poster takes, and explain why/howtheir posting fits that approach. If the poster uses more than one approach, you should explain that as well, but be clear about which part is which. It may help to quote parts as needed for clarity.
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