On Sunday, someone asked about the American phrase, 'Yay' as he found
himself "clueless about 'yay' and its usage". He guessed (incorrectly) that
it was
related to "yuck".
If no one else jumped on this "linguistics" thread, I'll be surprised.
Anyway, I think the author (Kakki?) uses alternate spellings in casual
writing, as I do. I imagine that "Yay" is a phonetic spelling for a
blunt and enthusiastic "Yeah!", which of course is a derivation of "Yes".
Other mis-spellings in American "English" are:
gonna (going to)
gotta (meaning "must")
ya (meaning "you")
da (meaning "the")
As in "Yay! Ya *gotta* go to da market."
As a writer, I was forever changed when I read "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid
Test" by Tom Wolfe (1968). He took these liberties and then some.
I love the way these mispellings give sound to a printed page. As Slyvester
Stewart observed,
"Thank you
falettinme
be
mice elf,
agin."
(of a band called
'Sly And the Family Stone'
in 1970)
All the best,
Jim L'Hommedieu "Lama-doo"
Database Coordinator
Direct Marketing Results
200 W Pike St
Covington, KY 41011
(859) 655 - 9200
