It’s very common to hear y’all (pronounced yah) here in NYC among people under 30. I used to only hear it among black people but now it’s everyone. For example “ah yah” means all y’all.
Why do New Yorkers say y all?
We say it because it’s practical. Modern Standard English lacks a plural second person pronoun, so Southern English has filled that gap with y’all (a contraction of you all). It really is that simple.
Where in America do they say y all?
the Southern United States
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. For other second-personal plural pronouns, see you.
Is yall only a southern thing?
Y’all is the main second-person plural pronoun in Southern American English, with which it is most frequently associated, though it also appears in some other English varieties, including African-American English and South African Indian English.
What do Northern people say instead of yall?
But y’all isn’t the only solution regional dialects have come up with. Reed grew up using “you’uns,” common in Appalachia, is a slight shortening of the Scottish “you ones.” “Ones,” in some forms of Scottish English, is a plural marker, like the American “guys,” so you can say “you ones” or “we ones.”
What do New Yorkers say the most?
56 Things New Yorkers Say – NY Slang From a New Yorker
- Brolic.
- Scrap.
- Frontin.
- That’s Sus.
- Bird.
- Schlep.
- Shvitz.
- Schmear.
Is Y all Southern slang?
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.
Is yall a Texas word?
That the infamous slogan, “Everything is Bigger in Texas” is an understatement! I also quickly learned that Texans are not ashamed of greeting anyone with a hearty ‘Hey Y’all’! Y’all is an American slang word, an abbreviation of the term “You all,” and is mainly used in the southern parts of the U.S.
Do Californians say y all?
It’s actually much more nuanced than all of us using that. California English, which is the defacto standard for broadcast purposes, follows the BBC model of using “you” for both singular and plural. Some people in Pennsylvania use “yinz” instead of “y’all”.
Is Y all unprofessional?
The Grammarist said: “Although y’all is considered informal, it is not a substandard word, nor is it a sign of illiteracy or poor education. In some parts of the U.S., many people from all sorts of backgrounds use the word.
What states say yall?
Who Says “Y’all” And 10 Other Maps Showing Where Americans Say Things Differently
- Basically no one calls it a soft drink.
- Y’all know that Kentucky is the only state where people really say “you all”?
- Philadelphia loves its hoagies, but it’s a sub pretty much everywhere else.
Do people say yall in Pennsylvania?
“Yins” in western Pennsylvania could be “y’all” in much of the South, “youse guys” in Brooklyn, and “you lot” in England.
Is the word y’all slang?
A contraction of “you” and “all,” as defined by our Mason Dixonary, “y’all” is used when addressing or referencing two or more people. Though “y’all” is inherently plural, in the instance of addressing a larger group of people, “all y’all” is more of a casual, slang phrase that’s sometimes used.
What do Southerners say weird?
Words Southerners Say Weird
caint – can’t (I caint do that.) fitt’in – fixing to, about to (I’m fitt’in to buy one.) fitty – fifty (Can I borrow fitty cents?) i’moan – I am going to (I’moan go to that game.)
Do Southerners say you guys?
In contemporary English, we now use “you” to directly address both individuals and groups of people. The Southern contraction “y’all” (“you” + “all”) brings back that plural pronoun, much like other regionalisms: “youse,” “you guys,” “you’uns” or “yinz.”
What are some NY slangs?
40 Slang Words From New York
- Grill (v.) – to stare at someone in a judgmental or angry way; to look at another person for a long period of time.
- Kid/Son (n.) –
- Real Talk (phr.) –
- Guap/Cake/Cheese (n.) –
- Mad (adj.)
- Frontin’ (ger.) –
- Dead-ass (adj.) –
- Whip (n.) –
What words do New Yorkers say weird?
- New Yorkers use “cray-ahns” to color.
- It’s pronounced “sear-up”
- If you pronounce the words “merry,” “marry,” and “Mary” in three different ways, you’re likely from New York.
- New Yorkers will have “caw-fee” in the morning.
- Water is pronounced “waw-tuh”
- New Yorkers will ask for a piece of “chaw-clet”
How do New Yorkers say hello?
Say “hey”, instead of “hi” or “hello” and say it quickly. Make the classic “you guys” into the NYC plural “yous guys.”
Is Y all used in England?
No they do not it’s not a standard British expression nor is it a colloquial expression. They may say it following the viewing of an American film (movie) or TV programme for amusement.
What can I say instead of Y all?
English doesn’t have a formalised second-person plural pronoun: a word used to describe a group of people you’re talking to. Speakers use phrases like ‘you lot’, ‘you all’, ‘folks’, but the one that’s most embedded in daily life is ‘you guys‘.
Is Y all Irish?
According to linguist Michael Montgomery, “y’all” can be traced back to the Scots-Irish phrase “ye aw,” itself a derivative of the pre-Anglicized language of the Scots.