'ho

African American Vernacular English
African American Vernacular English

Alternative form of whore, especially in African American Vernacular English.


worra

Worra daft idea that was!

"Purée... bloody hell, worra good idea!" I declared, as I lay down without a care in the world and pressed my nose into the grass.

2009, Gérard Pidoux, The Footpath to the Collinettes, page 124:

Worra 'bout this one from Cilla Black, eh? Bet no-one knows that right through to the very end.

2011, John O'Neill, SPANISH ALPHABET: Travels from A to Z, page 189:

(chiefly Liverpool) Contraction of what a.

Know worra mean?

(chiefly Liverpool) Contraction of what I.


didnt

“You didnt pack my garrison shoes?” he asked the footsteps. “I meant to tell you. They scuff so easy.” / “They’re on the bed, both pair,” the voice behind him said. “With the clean uniforms from your wall locker you didnt want to get mussed up. I pack your diddy box and extra hangers and your field shoes in the extra barricks bag.” / “Then I guess thats everything,” the young man said.

1951, James Jones, From Here to Eternity, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 4:


wasnt

“He was tryin to get back to his Compny. I could have let him gone. But I didnt. I didnt know. I wasnt sure. This sand,” he said vaguely; then he said it again, viciously, “this sand. This goddam sand. Its like a goddam fuckin desert.” / “Its all in the game,” Warden said. “The whole thing was all in the cards. It wasnt your fault. Forget it.”

1951, James Jones, From Here to Eternity, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 742:

(informal, nonstandard) Alternative form of wasn't


whaddo

Whaddo I know?

Whaddo I care?

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


tasswage

Folkes that vse to make great viages, Which vnderfong long trauaile and labour, When thei haue done gret part of their passages Of werines tasswage their rigour, again faintise to find some fauour, loke oft agayne parcell to be releued, to see how much theyr iourney is atcheued.

I am ashamed herewith all, it maketh me repyne, That Tyndaris (who from the gods doth fetche her noble lygne) Shold gyue the ghost tasswage y wrath of gods and then appeas , Wherby the grekyshe nauye myght haue passage

1566, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, translated by John Studley, Studley's Translations of Seneca's Agamemnon and Medea:

Had not those two him instantly desired
Tasswage his wrath , and pardon their mesprise

1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:


yours've

Never have I seen children take to a lass the way yours've taken to Karola.

2009, Robin Lee Hatcher, Promised to Me:


yours'd

Doran made the strongest coffee in the county — used to fill up the inner basket with grounds level to the rim. He liked it so you could float a spoon, and he liked it hot — a nice, full cup, too. He'd have his gone before yours'd be cool enough to sip.

1992, Richard Ben Cramer, What it takes: the way to the White House, page 39:

(colloquial) Contraction of yours would.


hadn't've

If she hadn't've stayed...if she hadn't've come...if she hadn't've cut off communication with the Blacks all those years ago...if she hadn't've given up Robbie...if she hadn't've gotten pregnant to begin with...

2008, Karen Templeton, A Mother's Wish, →ISBN, page 172:

(nonstandard) hadn't (Contraction of had not have.)


dashitall

"So I see. And what of your search, Ramsay? Have you discovered the source of my quotation as yet?"
"At long last, sir. Henry the Fifth. But, dashitall, too late to win the wager."


wadn't

He wadn't about to leave.

Pronunciation spelling of wasn't. (Contraction of was not.). Compare wa'n't.


didny

'But I didny fucking do it.'
'Didny do what? Didny stalk me through the woods?

2010, Karen Campbell, Shadowplay, Hachette UK, →ISBN:

'I thought ye didny know the barman's name.'
'I knew his name. It wis ma freen' here that didny.'

2011, Anges Owens, Agnes Owens: The Complete Novellas, Birlinn, →ISBN:

Well, I got going, then the other two, but if you ask me they didny do much, they'd had a right skinful and they were – anyhow, I don't remember much after that, it all goes a bit hazy.

2012, Edwin Morgan, New Selected Poems, Carcanet, →ISBN:


y'all'd've

From y'all (you + all) + 'd (would) + -'ve (have).

(colloquial) Contraction of you all would have.


who'm

Who'm I going to work with?


how'm

How’m I gonna do it?


where'm

"Don't put your hand on me," said Uncle Henry irritably. "I'm crawling with lice. War would be a picnic if it wasn't for lice and dysentery. Where'm I going? Well, I haven't been told but I've got a good idea. We're marching south, toward Jonesboro, in the morning, unless I'm greatly in error."

1936 June 30, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, 1944, →OCLC:


s'matter

S'matter with you?

S'matter: cat got your tongue?


wisnae

His head... his head... his face... it wisnae there. Nae black curly hair, nae eyes - I've never seen eyes sae blue as Joe's. Irises blue as yon sky. Blown tae smithereens... his gorgeous, bonny head, no there.

2012 Spring, Gerda Stevenson, “Federer versus Murray”, in Salmagundi:


wossit

Wossit worth to you?

(informal) Pronunciation spelling of what's it.

Pronunciation spelling of what's it.
What is it.

That funny bag you're carrying around: wossit got in it?

Pronunciation spelling of what's it.
What has it.

Wossit mean?

Pronunciation spelling of what's it.
What does it.


sezee

Pretty business, ain't it?' he continued; 'Dyvis on the lush? Must say I thought you gave it 'im A1 today. He didn't like it a bit; took on hawful after you were gone.--"'Ere," says I, "'old on, easy on the lush," I says. "'Errick was right, and you know it. Give 'im a chanst," I says.--"Uish," sezee, "don't you gimme no more of your jaw, or I'll knock your bloomin' eyes out."

1894, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter 5, in The Ebb-Tide:


disna

Ah but, Nanse woman, I'm sad to say that he disna believe what he reads in his Bible.

1874, “Is a Miracle Credible?”, in The Evangelical Repository and United Presbyterian Worker, page 209:

She was awful raised kind, and wanderin' and that, at the first; but she disna ken onything now, and she disna speak; she's just a sort o' done out, peer creature; but doctor thinks maybe there'll come a lightenin' or she go.

1884, Mary Charlotte J. Leith, From over the water, page 328:

No, she disna, she bides at the tother end o' the road.

1906, “The Auld Lads of Corrievreckan”, in The Idler: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine, volume 28, page 145:

the East is just a smell ! It begins at Port Said and disna stop till ye come to San Francisco, … if there !

1923, “Olfaction and Public Health”, in Aromatics and the Soul: A Study of Smells, page 10:


wheredja

Wheredja run off to last night?

(pronunciation spelling, informal) where did you

Wheredja wanna go next?

(pronunciation spelling, informal) where do you


gon'

Pronunciation spelling of gonna, representing African-American Vernacular English.


ain'

Pronunciation spelling of ain't, representing African-American Vernacular English.


yessuh

Pronunciation spelling of yessir, representing African-American Vernacular English.


nossuh

Pronunciation spelling of no, sir, representing African-American Vernacular English.


der's

Nonstandard spelling of there's, reflecting any of a variety of accents with th-stopping.


dere's

Pronunciation spelling of there's, representing African-American Vernacular English.

pronunciation spelling of

(colloquial) There is, there's (dere is)


dat's

Pronunciation spelling of that's, representing African-American Vernacular English.


nunya

none of your business
none of your business

(Australia, colloquial, chiefly Australian Aboriginal) contraction of none of your, can be a replacement for the "none of" in "none of your business"


allat

I ain't reading allat.


wazn't

He wazn't about to leave.


thother

Another the like was among the Romanes of Patricij & plebes, thone [the one] ſtriuing with thother a long time, the patricij many yeares excluding the plebes from bearing rule, vntill at laſt all magiſtrates were made cõmon [common] betweene thẽ [them]:[…]

1562–1565 (date written), Thomas Smyth [i.e., Thomas Smith], “The Diuision of the Parts and Persons of the Common Wealth”, in De Republica Anglorum. The Maner of Gouernement or Policie of the Realme of England, […], London: […] Henrie Midleton for Gregorie Seton, published 1583, →OCLC, pages 19–20:

But th'other halfe did womans ſhape retaine, / Moſt lothſom, filthie, foule, and full of vile diſdaine.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14, page 7:


th'art

(Northern England) Contraction of tha art.


birrova

So I cringe when they are regarded as kitsch and retro, a birrova laff. It's obviously not true.

2014, Jason Winstanley, Media Unfriendly:


here'll

- Where should I put it?
- Here'll do.


yaknow

In a spooky szn special edition of referencing pop culture, Sabrina [Carpenter] recently released the "Taste" music video (yaknow, the one guest starring Jenna Ortega, the new-age scream queen we deserve?!) laden with classic horror references.

2024 September 21, Heath Owens, “What to Wear to Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short N' Sweet' Tour”, in Cosmopolitan:


whuzzamatter

(slang, especially represents drunken or slurred speech) Contraction of what is the matter.


whizyer

(especially representing drunken or slurred speech) Contraction of with you.


damfidon't

Pronunciation spelling of damned if I don't.


hassome

"I'm hungry, sir," said Jurgis.
"Hungry! Why don't you hassome supper?"
"I've got no money, sir."


i'faith

Fla[via]. Come, Sir Pergamus, till your horse come, you and I'll go play at shuttle-cock. / Per[gamus]. A match i'faith. I love that sport a' life. Yet my mother charged me not to use it for fear of putting my arm out of joint.

c. 1604–1626, doubtfully attributed to Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Faithful Friends”, in Henry [William] Weber, editor, The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, in Fourteen Volumes: […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] F[rancis] C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington; […], published 1812, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, page 50:


they'da

(informal) Contraction of they would have.


dunnit

Bob's just finished painting the spare room. Looks good, dunnit?


yessah

Pronunciation spelling of yes sir, representing New England English.


thaz

“I wanna know whoze been tellin bout me!”
“Telling what?” asked Bunny.
“Thaz what I wanna know. What they been tellin?”


gna

(Internet slang, text messaging) Abbreviation of gonna.


dudn't

"There ya's for ivver wrong, Abraham," said Job ; "dudn't Gideon Cuyp bury awe feeve er 'em? dudn't he strip 'em? dudn't he strip th' co-at o'er feeve er th' bodies? ..."

Na, na, lassie, ah dudn't meaan teh ang-er theh!" said Robin soothingly, as he threw his arm round her, and comforted her.

You dudn't use to go wud the gipsies, you dudn't use to go to raaces — and now you do both, surelye.

1921, Sheila Kaye-Smith, Green Apple Harvest, page 33:

I said, “But what about all the sixteen years since Olene and Gus have been married? Olene's worked like a field hand, besides havin' one baby after another? Dudn't that count for anything?” “No, miss, it dudn't.”

2001, Pat Perkins Twedt, From the Daybook of Picky Sinclair, page 173:

Love dudn't work. That's what my mother told me: "Love dudn't work!”

2003, Heather Woodbury, What Ever: A Living Novel, page 149:

“Anyway, the prisoner dudn't speak English and she dudn't speak German.

2013, Sonny Allen, The Paper Boy, page 253:


cudn't

'Theer's Miss So-and-so bin doon here and gaan on ivver so and glen me sic a blackin' as never was, becos I telt her I cudn't git her intil t' auld grund noa-ways, and I telt her she mud just lig in t' new grund and mud be weel content, an aw, for it was a deal sweeter.' 'And,' added old Joe, 'theer's nowt so queer as folk, specially wick uns.'

1911, Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, “Sexton Joe”, in By Fell and Dale at the English Lakes, pages 87–88:

Brave Truman trekked'n'climbed for three solid days an' had varyin' adventurin's what I ain't time to tell you now, but he s'vived 'em all till he was up that feary'n' ghostsome summit in the clouds what you can see from anywhere on Big I an' so high up he cudn't see the world b'low.

2004, David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas, London: Hodder and Stoughton, →ISBN:

[...] maybe Yanagi b'liefed us an' maybe he din't, but he bartered us fungusdo' for rockfish an' warned us Waimea Town weren't so friendsome as it'd been once, nay, Kona say-soed'n'knucklied ficklewise an' you cudn't guess their b'havin's.


sh'd

"The low-down, ornery cuss!" said Dobbs. "The nerve of him, crowdin' in on us, just as if there wasn't lots of other places for him to go!"
"I sh'd say so!" Bill concurred.

1922, A. M. Chisholm, A Thousand a Plate:


whazzat

(colloquial) Contraction of what's that.


didn'tchya

You ate it all, didn'tchya?


m'lad

Sorry for you, m’lad, but them’s m’lady’s orders, an’ I can’t go contrary.

1915, John Galsworthy, The Freelands, C. Scribner’s Sons, page 102:


wouldn'ta

(colloquial) Contraction of would not have.


never've

If I hadn't come here, we would never've met.


hadn't a

We can go back and reflect on things we've done in our past and say, "Boy, I wish we hadn't a gone that way".

2018 March 13, Mike Rogers (Michigan politician), BBC Newshour:


Lemmy

(colloquial) An alternate spelling of lemme


'choo

‘’Choo lookin’ at?’ said Stan.

1999, J. K. Rowling, chapter 3, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Bloomsbury:


woss

‘Woss that on your ’ead?’ said Stan abruptly.

'Woss he want now?' I says.

2005, Charlie Williams, Fags and Lager, page 71:

"Woss your poison, Jazz?"
"Can I have a glass of chilled white wine?"

(chiefly UK) Pronunciation spelling of what is.


whatna

Whatna noise was that ye were makin'?

1878, Saxon, Galloway Gossip Sixty Years Ago, section 183:

O Jean, whatna time wi' thy sloth thou are wasting.

'I kenna whatna man ye are,' he says, 'but ye have the skill of lassies' hearts. Tell me truly, is there no way to win her to common love?'

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

(Scotland, Northern England, dialect, archaic) what kind of


shall've

shall have (with have as auxiliary verb)


can've

Contraction of can have. (with have as auxiliary verb)


usedn't

Usedn't you to be at the old Chatham Club in Chinatown in New York?


ch'ill

Ch'ill not let go, zir, without vurther 'casion

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, King Lear, act 4, scene 6, line 226; republished as The Dramatic Works of Shakespeare, volume 2, London: Alexander Black, 1820, page 86:

(West Country, obsolete) Alternative form of chill (“I will”)


whatever's

I want whatever's best for you.

Whatever's been going on, let's get to the bottom of it.

Whatever's he do every day?

(rarer, nonstandard) Contraction of whatever does.


itsa

(rare, nonstandard) Alternative form of it'sa


didn'tcha

You ate it all, didn'tcha?


wannit

So you wannit, do you? Well you can't have it!

"I don't wannit." "What do you mean, you don't wannit?" "I don't wannit." "Look, Boscobel," began Rawlins gently, "you saw Koko the clown, didn'tcha? You see Benny the mule, didn'tcha?

1952, Nicholas De Minno, Half A Dollar Is Better Than None, page 119:

(informal) Represents a contracted pronunciation of want it.

That was ages ago, wannit ?

'It was ages ago, wannit?' Another drink. 'Course that's what made the brother move out. He couldn't stay around after that, could he? Poor guy.' The rat scarpered towards the kitchen. 'What happened, Sheila?' 'Awful, wannit?'

2014, Kerry Wilkinson, Something Wicked:

(informal) Represents a contracted pronunciation of wasn't it.


c'min

"Hey, kid! Kid! C'mere!" The words came out of the shadows of the storefront next to me. […] "C'min an' I'll hidja."

1970, Gil Scott-Heron, The Vulture, page 20 or 25

[…], who was sawing busily at her neck with his knife. "C'mere, Captain. You'll be killed if you stay there. C'min here." The voice came from the farther side of the wall shelf […]

1973, Leo Simpson, The Peacock Papers: A Novel, Canada: Macmillan, page 206:

“C'mere. Now!” Johnel looked up and down the street. Cars passed back and forth. A couple on other side of the road beneath the trees talked to each other as if nothing weird was happening. […] “C'min the brush where I'm hidin'.” “No.”

2020, Elizabeth Massie, Ameri-Scares Montana: Ghosts in the Dust, Crossroad Press:


useta

"I'm a gent'man and I'm useta bein' treated as such."

1913, Rupert Hughes, The Amiable Crimes of Dirk Memling, T. Langton, page 26:

I'm useta meetin' mens in a nice way, all dressed up, silky dress, perfume, whiskey. Dis here—Beymour, knees all knobby, dick danglin', no music, whiskey, me in my duster, paper curlers—it don' seem natural!

2011, Sapphire, The Kid: A Novel, Penguin, →ISBN:

Them nurses in the hospitals won't let yuh wipe yer own nose, an' I'm useta doin' that fer muhself.

2017, Luke Allan, Blue Pete's Dilemma, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 193:

I guess him an' me had a great deal in common. He didn't care much for strenuous amusements. He useta sleep all winter under the stove, an' all summer under the sun's warm rays.

"He useta break these olive bottles with his fingers."

He useta trap otter, mink, mushkrats, and bear, wolves. You just love it. He taught us how to skin 'rats and stuff like that. I was 'bout ten.

1997, Shawn Thompson, Soul of the River: Life in the Thousand Islands, GeneralStore PublishingHouse, →ISBN, page 44:

"Yes, I knowed Robert Fraley all right; a right nice sort of feller he useta be afore he made his pile. Always had a pleasant word. I've mended many a shoe fer him in his younger days afore he got up in the world."

2013, Grace Livingston Hill, Ladybird, Barbour Publishing, →ISBN:


gerrit

Gerrit for me, will you?

Contracted form of 'get it', representing slurred pronunciation.


ben't

'What... I only hope he ben't one of those popish murderers,' said the old steward, keeping at a safe distance from him, as they entered the hall.

"Well, Joe, I ben't a fool, if I ben't so religious as you be. You ben't a bad fellow, though you be a Methodist, and I ben't a fool, though I be Harry Cobb."

"You be a guest, ben't ye?" a footman asked, getting to his feet again.

2000, Elizabeth Mansfield, Miscalculations:

Death and eternity ben't so familiar to them at such times; {they are} very much unacquainted with them

2012, Kenneth P. Minkema, Adriaan C. Neele, Sermons by Jonathan Edwards on the Matthean Parables, page 119:

I wish there ben't some mistake in this business.

2014, John Vanbrugh, Bernard Harris, The Relapse, page 96:

(dialect) be not (am not, is not, are not)


yo've

"When yo' can make a man sit down, yo've got him!"


yassum

"I would like to sit down in your shade beside you," said the Tall Man. "Yassum," said the Little Bit of a Girl. […] "Why do you have the crutch?" asked the Tall Man presently. "Yassum, the crutch, the doctor he gave it to me, yassum," said the Little Bit of a Girl.

1905 September, Harry Persons Taber, “The Crutch”, in William Elliott Lowes, editor, Book of the Royal Blue, volume VIII, number 12, Baltimore, Md.: Passenger Department, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, →OCLC, page 24, column 1:

Q. If you would ask him to go to the store, for example, what would he say to that? A. He would say yassum. ¶ Q. Yes, ma'am? A. No, he wouldn't say that; he would say, yassum; and then I would think he is crazy.

1922, New York Court of Appeals, People of the State of New York against Henry Brown, volume II, page 379:

(US, dialectal, dated) Alternative form of yessum


zup

“Zup, man?” the thin voice said. “Ethan, dude. Grab some people and meet me outside. I'm in the Jimmy.”

Alternative form of 'sup (“what's up? how are you?”)


skoden

You really think you can take me in a scrap? Alright, skoden.

(Canada, First Nations) Contraction of let's go then.


witchu

(African-American Vernacular) Alternative form of witchoo (“with you”)


witchoo

What's up witchoo?


didn'

(African-American Vernacular) Pronunciation spelling of didn't.


thatta

Alternative form of atta (“that's the; that's a”)


can'tcha

Alternative form of cantcha (“can't you”)


gi's

That's mine! Gi's it! Gi's it!

Gi's a job.

(informal) Contraction of give us, often in the sense "give me".


whutcha

(chiefly African-American Vernacular) Alternative form of whatcha


I'dn't

I'dn't do that if I were you.


wotjer

"Ya-ar, she's rich, ain't she? Wotjer think? I lay they got a 'aul! Sixty bob, may be. And crowns! And finnufs! Ar!"

1949, Theodore Bonnet, The Mudlark, page 216:

'Well, wotjer want me to say?' demanded Ben.

2016, J. Jefferson Farjeon, Detective Ben:

Alternative form of wotcher (“what do you, etc.”)


whatsever

I can take care of whatsever left.


it'sa

Apparent misconstruction of it's -a (“suffix used to mimic Italian accents”).

(nonstandard, pseudo-Italian) It's (it is).


whoever's

Now, sir, mark;— Whoever's here, would fain be private here; Whoever's here, depend on't, tell I can;— Whoever's here, depend on't, tell I will not.

1806, George Colman, The Battle of Hexham ... As Performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. Printed ... from the Prompt Book. With Remarks by Mrs. Inchbald, Longman, Hurst, Rees&Orme, page 48:

Whoever's doing this wants you all at each other's throats—fighting each other like animals, rioting like maniacs.

2002, Keith R. A. DeCandido, The Brave and the Bold: Book One, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 101:

It's not even a real bus stop, just a gas station where the bus drops off whoever's stupid enough to come to this shitbucket town and picks up whoever's smart enough to leave.

2010, Jeff Garigliano, Dogface, MP Publishing, →ISBN, page 184:

Could mean that whoever's behind this is missing some feeling of belonging.

2011, Alayna Williams, Rogue Oracle, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 30:

“Unless whoever's doing this is someone your dog knows.” “He doesn't know anyone well enough to be comfortable like that.” “For all you know, whoever's been handling Tucker could've been coming by your house every day when you weren't home, making friends with him, feeding him treats.”

2014, Alan Jacobson, The Hunted, Open Road Integrated Media, →ISBN, page 89:


donchaknow

"Well, we do need to keep some of it on hand, donchaknow. For fueling the cookfires and all that rot."

2005, Harry Turtledove, Alternate Generals III, unnumbered page:

[…] Folk pay good money to go on sea cruises, donchaknow?'

2014, Rachel Moore, Days to Remember, unnumbered page:

“I'm a busy man, donchaknow.”

2015, Maureen Child, Pocketful of Paradise, unnumbered page:


aboutcha

Th' dirty bum… sayin' things like that aboutcha.

"They tell stories aboutcha, Hale . Thirty years later and they still tell stories aboutcha."

1970, Bernard Kaplan, Prisoners of this World: Stories:

'Me and Cheryl have been worried aboutcha!'

2012, Jo Carnegie, Horse Play: Churchminister series 5, Random House, →ISBN, page 91:


withoutcha

/wɪθˈaʊt͡ʃə/

/wɪðˈaʊt͡ʃə/

Still, every April, when National Secretary's Day rolled around, many of us took sick days, genuinely nauseous with worry that we be mistook and there, on our assistants' desks, would be the asparagus-fern-and-baby's-breath-surrounded long'stemmed roses with the card from the boss who "just couldn't do it withoutcha!"

2002, David Rakoff, Fraud: Essays, Anchor, →ISBN:

'Aw Steve, you didn't really think we'd leave withoutcha, didja?

2018, Lev Parikian, Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? 200 birds, 12 months, 1 lapsed birdwatcher: 200 birds, 12 months, 1 lapsed birdwatcher, Unbound Publishing, →ISBN:

It's hard withoutcha, but I wantcha t' know that I'm okay.

2021, Craig R. Seaton, Some Perfect Tomorrow: True Stories of Hope in Loss, Love in Grief, and Life in Death, Yellorondack Publishing, →ISBN:


outcha

'You better keep G-Bread's name outcha mouth!" Pop spat.

2011, Ni-Ni Simone, No Boyz Allowed, Kensington Publishing Corp., →ISBN, page 189:

“So I says, 'Blow it outcha you-know-where.'

2016, Stephen King, The Dead Zone, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 57:

"YOU BETTER GET OUT OF MY FACE!" he said. "MAKE ME GET OUTCHA FACE. I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE, AND I'M NOT GOING NOWHERE!

2020, Terrance Mcadoo, Lost In My World, Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., →ISBN:

They started to shout, "Outcha come, outcha come."

1995, Russell Miller, Nothing Less Than Victory: The Oral History of D-Day, Hearst Books, →ISBN:

You see I always was left-handed, but at school if they caught you using the left hand they would swat the hell outcha and make you use the right.

1997, Charles E. Holloway, Dialect Death: The Case of Brule Spanish, John Benjamins Publishing, →ISBN, page 45:

"Outcha go," he said, jerking open the front door.

2013, Angel M., The Keeper, Abbott Press, →ISBN, page 53:


aboutchu

An' that's what I like aboutchu… y' have a way of understandin' things.

I love him. He's my man. He takes care of me lots a ways. What aboutchu? You married or whatever?"

2002, Zac A. Cook, Jeff Cook, An End to the Rope, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 105:

That song really aboutchu Fran! They just changed the name.

2017, LaViza Lockwood, Brittle Never Broken, AuthorHouse, →ISBN:


outchu

"Do you hear me gotdammit? You got ten seconds to getcho ass up or imma beat da hell outchu."

2000, Yolanda M. Johnson, My Daughter's Keeper, Bennovations, →ISBN, page 21:

"Your Dad's gonna bustchu when he finds outchu snuck out."

2006, Stephanie Collins, Why Me?, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 73:

Go get your man. I should slap the shit outchu right now for dissing me," Daryle said picking up the phone receiver now dangling from its wire as Monica took quick steps down the block.

2011, Love Jones, A Ghetto Soldier: I Came to Bring the Rain, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 65:


getcho

"Shut that mouth and getcho body dressed.

2009, Edgewater Press, Barnaby, Edgewater Press, page 119

"Oooooh, listen to you! G'ahead, getcho freak on."

2011, Neesha Meminger, Jazz in Love, Neesha Meminger, →ISBN, page 83:

"And getcho damn foot out my door."

2015, Allison Leotta, Law of Attraction: A Novel, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 123:

"Well, you need to getcho ass back here on time today, Khai. I'm not playing with you. I will dock your pay."

2020, DARRELL C SCOTT JR., Manstress Diaries: Book 1, D.S. Emancipated Publishing, LLC, →ISBN:


betcho

How you gonna grease/lotion half yo foot. Toes justa be shining. I betcho ankles be jealous and mad as hell.

2016, Mark Anthony Spivey, Sr., Before I Lay It Down, Dorrance Publishing, →ISBN, page 40:

Buddy says, "Leon Spinks beat the shit out of Mahumad Ali! Aaaaahaaaa… I knew I shoulda betcho ass wit this too, Rock!"

"Dead. Yeah, I got sum'n dead for y'all ass," Ty said, reclining back in his seat. He reached over to do the same to the seat of the dead body that used to be the life of Big Marcus. "And, yeah, I betcho ass stay still now, won't you? he ranted.

2022, Larry Johnson, Making a Gangsta: Forgive Me, Father, for I Have Sinned A Slow L Novel, Page Publishing Inc, →ISBN:


outcho

I opened the door and there stood Jolly green Giant towering over me pointing in my face saying things like "you better keep my baby name outcho mouth… and don't be telling my mama it ain't her responsibility, it is her responsibility!"

2011, All American Lesbian Dream, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 144:

"I'm not gettin on no motorcycle! Boy, is you outcho mind?"

2017, R. Les Alexander, LEGACY, Kaleidoscopic Publishing, →ISBN:

"But you slow-poking around here like you got molasses pourin' outcho ass! Never mind how hungry we is. What is wrong witchu?"

2020, Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker, Role Play, Dafina, →ISBN:

(African-American Vernacular, informal) Contraction of out (of) your.


'sall

'Sall gone wrong somehow.


'twa'n't

Then s’pose ’twa’n’t long afore he got tew likin’ her so well that he wanted her tew marry him,—honor bright, no sham, ner nothin’ privit’, but fair en square marriage,—en arter a good deal uv holdin’ back, en objectin’, en fearin’, she giv’ in tew this, tew;

1881 August, Susan B. Long, “Captain Put’s Novel”, in Lippincott’s Magazine, page 167:

I know’d then ’twa’n’t no time to try and save the silver;

1883 January, M. L. T., “Elisha Dodge’s Confession”, in London Society, volume XLIII, number CCLIII, page 87:

No, Mis’ Hildreth, ’twa’n’t that she’d aged sence I’d seen her; besides, ’twa’n’t more’n a matter of seven or eight years sence she was visitin’ her ma’s folks in Thornton.

1910 January, Mary Heaton Vorse, “Joshua’s Sotness”, in Good Housekeeping Magazine, volume L, number 1 (whole 375), page 46:

(colloquial, dated) Pronunciation spelling of 'twasn't.


why'n't

“Why’n’t Eddie bake a cake?” he suggested. “Eddie used to be fry cook at the San Carlos for a while.”


I'mn't

I'mn't sure you can use a system like that. Some contractions aren't legal, and sometimes you do not use a contraction in order to emphasize what you are saying. Sometimes two contractions can be formed in a sentence, and you need to know which one to use.

1991 July 19, Life..., “Data Contractions--So what?”, in rec.arts.startrek (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Why people from Finland are so active in this forum? Finland isn't a part of Russia already for almost a hundred years! What they are doing here? I know no Russians who would be concerned about Finland and no groups where the Russians would give the suggestions to Finns (I'mn't even sure about the correct spelling of Fin in plural -- another evidence that I don't care about 'em).

2001 January 3, Vladimir Korostelev, “Russian National Anthem”, in soc.culture.russian (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Now that I think of it, could somebody check to see that I am indeed the inventor of double contractions? And although I'mn't (I am not) trying to claim all the glory for this, if there's a possibility for a triple contraction, I invented those as well (at least in theory).

2002 November 16, robert, “I just invented the "double contraction"!”, in misc.education.language.english (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Just in case he removes that post, it was posted Sun, Dec 10, 2006, at 4:19 pm. Does anyone want to take any bets on whether Ullrich will still be teaching then? ((Later:)) I guess I'mn't the first one to ask that.

2006 December 10, Proginoskes, “JSH: Two proofs equals a lot of denial”, in alt.math.undergrad (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

I seem to recall that this very question was discussed and answered on one of the linguistics blogs in the past couple of months. It may have been on Language Log, but I'mn't sure. I think the answer was that it arose as a shortened form of "amn't I".

2009 August 21, Athel Cornish-Bowden, “mayn't”, in alt.usage.english (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

(rare, nonstandard) Contraction of I am not.


we'ren't

_This isn't working_, the Cascader thought. _I must try a different approach_. "You were killed once yourself, we'ren't you?"

1993 September 14, CXMP, “LNH: Descent Chapter 1”, in rec.arts.comics.misc (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Anyway, how did the French come to Canada? I've heard stories and they don't exactly make your roots admirable.We'ren't you sent here? from France? as undesirables? That's what a Francophone told me. ( though he may have been full of it...said he was taught that in highschool but that no one liked to talk about it here...no kidding)

1998 June 10, Eric, “Re- Quebec Independence”, in qc.politique (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Nerfing Pallies we'ren't mentioned in the patch text....could it be just a new bug that surfaced after the patch...like the durability bug or the horadic cube bug?

2000 December 20, Bahas, “Hammerdins Maybe we'ren't nerfed”, in alt.games.diablo (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

"I sure hope so... Hey! We'ren't you the one spying on us and attacking Z-kun and accusing him of being evil?!" Shawna said. "Yeesh."

2001 July 9, Shawna-Chan X, “[OW!] Boring talking and mistrust.”, in alt.fan.sailor-moon (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

I understand what goes into a Textiles class. A friend previously studies Textiles and Fashion Design. They we'ren't allowed to be on the course unless they could sew!

2002 October 15, Charlie, “Need advice re: sewing machine”, in alt.sewing (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:


we'ren't

Blend of we're + aren't. Equivalent to we're + -n't.

I'd like to remind you and myself, we'ren't doing this to win or loose an insult or lying match, we're suppose to be doing this to reach the truth, may Allah guid us to it ...

1993 November 25, M. ElRabaa, “Questions about Shi'ites”, in soc.religion.islam (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

that's okay !! I was wondering !! you don't have to be that rude to people to express yourself !! I have the right to tell you what I think (me, in a nicer way but ...we'ren't all the same obviously !) .

1998 October 19, lav...@ibm.net, “No”, in alc.suicide (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

Well, we'ren't really sure where he his, (I have my own theories on the subject) but Ash's mom is raising the boy alone. Now about raising him well... that is open to interpretation.

2000 December 18, Anne Packrat, “Single Parents in Anime”, in rec.arts.anime.misc (Usenet), retrieved 2022-06-13:

(rare, nonstandard) Contraction of we are not.


fightcha

He’ll never fightcha but once.

1915 January, Madge Jenison, “Patience and Shuffle the Cards”, in McClure’s Magazine, volume XLIV, number 3, page 35:

Gwan, I wouldn’t fightcha.

1925, The Calyx, volume XXXI, page three hundred sixty:

I'LL SPRIZE FIGHTCHA HERE AN' NOW!

1931 September 20, “Thimble Theatre”, in The Longview Daily News:


shootcha

NO I HAVENT^([sic]) GOT ANOTHER AIRSHIP-I THOUGHT I’D PUTCHA- / -PUTCHA IN THERE AN’ SHOOTCHA UP AFTER HIM- [pointing at a cannon]

1914 September 22, “The Boss Is Very Brave When He Hasn’t Anything Else to Do”, in The Grand Island Daily Independent, Grand Island, Neb., page seven:

OLIVEOYL IF YOU DON'T SAY YOU'LL MARRY ME I'M GONNA SHOOTCHA

1921 September 3, “Thimble Theater: Now Showing—“Thinking and Thought.” Monday—“Deep Stuff.””, in The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pa., page six:

“I’m gonna shootcha all I wan’. Yuh a cowid.” David was silent. He was beginning to tremble. “I c’n even hitcha wit my hatchet,” continued Yussie.

1934, Henry Roth, “The Cellar”, in Call It Sleep, Avon Books, published 1965, chapter X, page 82:


whom's

“Whom’s it for?” asked Dick, as Maud came running toward them, waving the note over her head. “For all of you, I think,” said Maud, reading aloud the address.

[1880–9?], Mary B[reck] Sleight, “How We Didn’t Go to the Circus”, in Prairie Days or Our Home in the Far West, London: John F[arquhar] Shaw and Co., […], page 195:

Whom’s it for? Oh! Mr. Edward Trevor; then it’s a brief by telegraph, I suppose.

1895, Ian Maclaren [pen name; John Watson], “Afterwards”, in The Woman at Home: Annie S[hepherd] Swan’s Magazine, volume III (October 1894 to March 1895), London: Hodder and Stoughton, […], page 402:

“Whom’s it for?” “It’s for a friend.”

2015–8, Harry M[artin] Anderson Jr., Sandra’s Saga and Matthew’s World: A Story of a Biracial Family, Christian Faith Publishing, Inc., →ISBN:


divent

Divent mess aboot, son.


you'r

I cannot viſit Hide-Park every day, / And with a Hackney court my time away; / I cannot ſpaniolize it week by week, / Or wait a moneth to kiſſe your hand or cheek; / If when you’r lov’d, you cannot love again, / Why, doe but ſay ſo, I am out of pain.

1650, Recreation for Ingenious Head-peeces. Or, A Pleasant Grove for Their Wits to Walke in, of Epigrams, 700. Epitaphs, 200. Fancies, a Number. Fantasticks, abundance. With Their Addition, Multiplication, and Division., London: […] M. Simmons, […]:

Offence? As I’m a Perſon, I’m aſhamed of you⸺Fogh! how you ſtink of Wine! Dee think my Niece will ever endure ſuch a Borachio! you’r an abſolute Borachio.

1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act IV, scene x, page 62:

Now Sʳ. You’r a compleat Macaroni.

1772 May 6, engraving by James Caldwell after Michel-Vincent Brandoin (image), London: […] J. Smith, […] & R. Sayer, […], →OCLC:


y'all'd'nt've

You want me to go full southern? Y'all'd'nt've suggested this if y'all'd've known what y'all'd get all of y'a'llselves into.

2020 August 10, @Ootek_H_Imora, Twitter:

honey, y'all'd'nt've shrunk the kids

2021 September 18, @fallwestmike, Twitter:

sir, i grew up in the southern US. Y'all'd'nt've believed how colliquial my writing COULD be, but the conventions behind scientific writing got me feeling some type of way

2021 November 11, @glowbyramon, Twitter:


y'all'dn't've

From y'all (you + all) + 'd (would) + n't (not) + -'ve (have).

Yup. Like "If y'all'dn't've done that, we wouldn't be in this situation."

Y'all'dn't've liked me when I was younger

Y'all'dn't've understood unless y'all were from the south

(colloquial, nonstandard, humorous) Contraction of you all would not have.


recvd

Three days ago I recvd. your welcome letters of 18th & 19th July, & to-day came that of 24th, as well as a long & newsful letter from Father […]

Quoted in 2022, Michelle Fink, Robert Boyd, John McCaldin Loewenthal (page 137)


i'th'

Then said Elpenor, Iſſue of Jove, Divine
Ulyſſes, I had come along with th'Bark,
But that the Devil and exceſs of Wine
Made me to fall, and break my Neck i'th' dark.

1675, Tho. Hobbes of Malmsbury, transl., Homer's Odysses, London: W. Crook, Lib. XI, page 128:

(poetic, archaic) Contraction of in the.


witcho

“A nigga high key obsessed witcho ass. Been this way since the day I met you.” “Yeah, well, I guess your attention just wasn't enough at the time.” Alexa gave him a toothless grin as she thought about her upbringing.

2017 May 22, Sol, The Plug Next Door 3, Sullivan Group Publishing, →ISBN:

“Anyway, I'm finna grab my strap 'cause I'm rolling witcho ass.” she threw the sheet from off her and jumped out of bed. “Are you serious, man?” he asked her as she walked past him, headed towards the closet. “Yep.

2018 October 17, Tranay Adams, Bury Me a G 3.5: Certified Gangstas, Tranay Adams:

... lock her down and throw away the key, so her pretty ass couldn't go anywhere. “You just be walkin' around the house like this?” he questioned, pulling on the bottom hem of her pink tie-dyed minidress. “Witcho ass all out and shit?

2019 March 12, Chase Sidora, The Girl Next Door 2, Sullivan Group Publishing, →ISBN:

(chiefly African-American Vernacular) Contraction of with yo'.


damfino

“Hi, there,” said Sushi. “Can you tell me the name of this town?”
“Damfino,” said the man, not bothering to remove the pipe from his mouth.

2017, Robert Asprin, Peter J. Heck, Phule's Errand: The Phule Stands Alone!:

Pronunciation spelling of damned if I know (“I don't know; I have no idea”).


d'y'ask

For quotations using this term, see Citations:d'y'ask.

(interrogative) Contraction of do you ask.

(interrogative) Contraction of did you ask.


u'd

(informal, Internet, text messaging) Abbreviation of you'd (you had or you would).


d'y'ave

D'y'ave a minute to talk?

(nonstandard) Contraction of do you have.

D'y'ave a good time at the party?

(nonstandard) Contraction of did you have.


yknow

Apart from his horrible English face, he looked like a Paddy, y'know.

2002, Shane MacGowan, Victoria Mary Clarke, A Drink with Shane MacGowan, →ISBN, page 114:

[...] so some of those people kind of get push aside and so yknow as you can see I'm standing on m^([sic]) soapbox here [...]

2010, Duane G Watson, Michael Wagner, Edward Gibson, “The role of syntactc structure in guiding prodsy perception”, in Experimental and Theoretical Advances in Prosody, →ISBN, page 1153:

It was the fifites yknow.

2019, Falconi, Elizabeth and Graber, Kathryn, “The Heritage Narratives of Yiddish Community Members”, in Storytelling as Narrative Practice: Ethnographic Approaches to the Tales We Tell, →ISBN, page 111:

do you know what I'm saying
do you know what I'm saying#English

(informal) Alternative spelling of y'know; (informal) Shortened alternative form of you know; shortened alternative form of do you know what I'm saying.


we'se

He's going to get some pots and pans Market-day, and then we'se going up country wi' 'em.

1871, S. T. C., The Court and the Kiln: A Story on the Church Catechism, page 187:


I 'm

“It ’s easy to bid one rack one’s brain— / “I ’m sure my poor head aches again / “I ’ve scratched it so, and all in vain.

1842–1845, Robert Browning, “[Dramatic Romances and Lyrics.] The Pied Piper of Hamelin; a Child’s Story. […].”, in Poems […], new edition, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], published 1849, →OCLC, stanza IV, page 308:

“I ’ll busk you as braw as a queen, sweet lass, / I ’ll busk you as braw as a queen; / I ’ve guineas to spare, an’, hark ye, what ’s mair, / I ’m only twa score an’ fifteen, sweet lass, / Only twa score an’ fifteen.”

1857 [1845], Peter Still, “Ye needna’ be courtin’ at me”, in Charles Rogers, editor, The Modern Scottish Minstrel; or, The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century. […], volume IV, Edinburgh: Adam & Charles Black, […], page 222:

“I ’m wonderin’ too what he ’ll say, an’ where he ’ll preach her.”

1898, Paul Laurence Dunbar, chapter II, in The Uncalled: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, →OCLC, page 15:

And, first you know, queer shadows steal / From out the corners, so / Right where I hung my clothes I ’m sure / There ’s Something moves, and oh, / I feel a crawly, creepy chill / ’Way from my head to feet, / And little girls feel comf’tabler / To hid beneath the sheet!

1907, Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine, page 544:


whadyer

“Whadyer mean?” said Mr Watkins suspiciously.

1894, H. G. Wells, The Hammerpond Park Burglary:


I'ld

Had I three ears, I'ld hear thee.


whom've

“Whom’ve you been in touch with since you got here?”

1939, Louis Golding, Mr. Emmanuel, New York, N.Y.: The Literary Guild of America, Inc., page 291:

“Whom’ve you heard from?”

1958, Stanley Baron, Matters of Concern, Boston, Mass., Toronto, Ont.: Little, Brown and Company, →LCCN, page 5:

“Whom’ve you been out with, Olivier?”

1970, Georges Simenon, translated by Jean Stewart, November, New York, N.Y.: Helen and Kurt Wolff Books, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., →ISBN, page 132:


stoodis

(Canada, US, First Nations) Contraction of let's do this.


how my

/haʊ̯ əm aɪ̯/ → /haʊ̯ m‿aɪ̯/
From how'm + I, so a contraction of how am I, phonetically respelled as if it were how + my.

(nonstandard, colloquial) Contraction of how am I.


wadda

“Well, no,” said the Prime Minister. “It wouldn’t mean anything, just make me look like a fantastic tramp-loving guy. Well, wadda you say, Mr. Stinky-poo?”

2009 October 29, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Mr Stink, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:


tudder

Berry well, ſpoſe tudder gemmen ees keel; wot do laus ſay then?

1822 July 16, The New Hampshire Gazette, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 4, column 2:

Well, de tudder 'oman she sot dar en talk en watch de neighbor 'woman mix up de dough for de bread, en dey run'd on des like wimmen folks does.

1892 October 20, Joel Chandler Harris, “Plantation Fables.--XIII.”, in The Russellville Democrat, Russellville, Arkansas, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 4, column 2:

I un'erstan', sah, dat you had a bad fall goin' hom fum de raffle tudder night. Fraction any bones, sah?

1915 June 30, The Day Book, Chicago, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 21, column 1:

(African-American Vernacular, Southern US) Pronunciation spelling of the other.


u're

Jann, u’re so smart, u’re exceptionally bright.

1981, Carolina Quarterly, volume 33, Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, page 43:

U’re so pretty.

1990 August 12, Mayte Garcia, quoting Prince, The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince, New York, N.Y., Boston, Mass.: Hachette Books, published 2017, →ISBN:

she is wearing small diamond studs in her earlobes. the kind u wear if u’re a modest person & u don’t want to wear anything that could catch on stuff, or be a health risk in a hospital – but u’re still someone who cares.

2017, Nick Lake, Satellite, London: Hodder Children’s Books, →ISBN, page 259:


where'n

Where'n the hell did he go?


daresn't

My miſtreſs begged hard for me, but ſhe daresn’t contradict that man; and ſo after many kind words, which was very good of her, ſhe ſaid I muſt leave her, but particularly ſhe ſaid for no fault, only becauſe of what her brother deſired.

1798, chapter V, in The Heir of Montague. […], volume II, London: […] Minerva-Press, for William Lane, […], page 220:

I believe he daresn’t fight, though he talks ſo big.

1798, [James Plumptre], “Act III. Scene I.”, in The Lakers: A Comic Opera, in Three Acts, London: […] W[illiam] Clarke, […], page 46:

There’s Murphy Roake, who often broke / My head, now daresn’t dare me, / But bows and quakes, and off he sneaks, / Since I’ve been in the army.

1830, J[acob] Beuler, “Since I’ve Been in the Army”, in Comic Songs, to Popular Tunes. […] Sixth Collection, […], London: […] J. Beuler, […] and sold by T. Williams, […], page 24:

Damn the devil, Flask; do you suppose I’m afraid of the devil? Who’s afraid of him, except the old governor who daresn’t catch him and put him in double-darbies, as he deserves, but let’s him go about kidnapping people; aye, and signed a bond with him, that all the people the devil kidnapped, he’d roast for him? There’s a governor!

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Stubb and Flask Kill a Right Whale; and Then Have a Talk over Him”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, pages 364–365:

But he lives around here doing tinkering and odd fixing, and Vilate Franker says he must have done some terrible crime to have to hide from the sea, or maybe there was some great sea beast that swallowed up his ship and left only him alive and now he daresn’t go back to sea for fear the beast—she calls it La Vaya Than, which Goody Trader says is Spanish for ‘Ain’t this a damn lie,’ do you know Goody Trader?

1995 September, Orson Scott Card, Alvin Journeyman (The Tales of Alvin Maker; IV), New York, N.Y.: Tor Books, →ISBN, page 159: