‘Yall' or 'ya'll' or 'y'all': that is the question. Are these all the same? Do they have different meanings, or is only one correct?
In short, the only correct spelling for this word is 'y'all.' Any alternative spelling you come across is incorrect and should not be used.
To understand the difference between the three spellings, you first need to understand what the word means.
The Southern word 'y'all' is a contraction of 'you all.' Just like 'do not' becomes 'don't,' 'can't' becomes 'cannot,' and 'let us' becomes 'let's,' the same goes for 'y'all.
With contractions, the apostrophe stands in for the letters you don't use to make the word shorter and, therefore, easier to say.
That's why the correct spelling has to be 'y'all' - the apostrophe replaces the -o and the -u from the word 'you.' 'Yall,' 'ya'll,' and any other spelling you might come across is incorrect and should not be used.
As I mentioned earlier, 'y'all' replaces 'you all,' or in other terms, the second person plural pronoun 'you.' That makes it a plural word that you should use in plural contexts. This means you should pair it with the correct verb form to make sure it matches the second-person plural. Pay special attention to irregular verbs like 'be,' where the verb form differs from pronoun to pronoun: use 'are,' not 'is.'
For example:
Good luck today; I'm rooting for y'all
Are y'all sure you're in the right place?
Y'all seem a little lost.
Having said that, just like the second person plural pronoun 'you,' 'y'all' can be used when speaking to an individual. The caveat is that you should be referring to multiple people.
Hey Sean, I haven't seen you and the family in a while; how are y'all doing?
I'm not sure what y'all are doing here, but you and your brothers had better get on home now.
I heard you were going traveling with the gang; I'm going to miss y'all.
'Y'all' can also be used in the possessive form. It looks more complex than it is. Just like any other possessive pronoun, all you need to do is add an -s. For example:
Sally, your team performance is outstanding this trimester; what's y'all's secret?
Like any contraction, it's good practice to avoid them in formal settings. It's okay if you're hanging out with friends or making friendly conversations with the barista, but if you're at work, in a job interview, or submitting an academic essay, stick with 'you all.'
As we've seen, the answer is pretty simple: there's only one possible spelling for the word, and that's 'y'all.'
I get that it's a tricky one, though. So here's a tip for you to remember if you ever get stuck again. Remember that with all contractions, the apostrophe stands in for the omitted letters. With 'y'all,' you're omitting the -o and the -u and replacing them with the apostrophe.
If you found this article helpful, head on over to our blog to learn about more confusing words.
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