Howdy Y’all — Is Y’all Really a Word?
It’s all about the rules we learned growing up
Growing up in Texas, many of us became accustomed to speaking slang.
But slang is only slang if the word or phrase is used informally. For slang to be impactful, the word must violate all the style guides and grammatical and pronunciation rules accumulated over the years.
The languages of Texas are Texan, Texican, English, and Spanish. The accents of the state are diverse, but there is one thing in common: the use of the word Y’ALL.
I see and hear Y’ALL all the time. I suspect it’s the first slang word I heard when I was born.
If I could remember my life as a baby, I’d see a lot of women puttering over me, saying things like, “Y’all, isn’t he the cutest thang you’ve seen all day.”
And the few times men would look at me and stick their fingers in my face, they’d say things like, “Y’all, bring me a Pearl beer. I want him to taste it.”
And the examples go on:
- “Y’all come back now,” a friend says as we leave.
- “I hope y’all enjoyed your meal,” the waitress says as she leaves the check.
- “Keep an eye on the weather, y’all; ain’t tornado warnings are out there.”
