Y'All Version is coming, initially just the New Testament

From John Dyer (creator of BestCommentaries.com and BibleWebApp.com, and VP for Enrollment and Educational Technology and assistant professor of Theological Studies), comes the Y'All Version, whose goal is "to reclaim the Bible as an ancient text written not just for you, the individual, but for y’all, the community of faith in the one true God, whose name is YHWH."

https://yallversion.com/

Read about the translation philosophy here (no, it's not just replacing all plural yous with y'all).

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Comments

KevinV

I don't like it. At all. And what's up with Adonia, a greek pagan festival? They couldn't even get the title Adonai right in their promotional copy. And AI generated endorsements? Looks like a poorly thought out joke of a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

No, thanks.

Yasmin Stephen

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300740#Comment_1300740

I don't like it. At all.

Same here. I'm turned off by the samples, and can't imagine wanting to read a Bible with 'y'all' all over it. Hard pass.

Simon’s Brother

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300741#Comment_1300741

There will be a segment this sort of translation appeals to, a segment for which it will be 'whatever floats your boat but it's not for me' and a segment who are turned off by it and lots of other views in between.

With the advent of "AI" going mainstream it may even be possible to get you own designer translation or not too far off it being possible. Just specify your requirements and "Your Version" will be generated.

Bringing it back to Logos you can use visual filters to substitute y'all (youse, una, or whatever you cup of cha/chai/tea) along with other things they are doing with this translation.

What I have done when I've wanted to do something like this is in the past is rather than changing the plural form of the word I 've set the visual filter to apply a double underline highlight to the word. There are a lot of ways you could choose to 'highlight' that the personal pronoun is plural or that YHVH is the true referent.

I am happy to stick with the mainline translations generated by a committee of appropriately qualified people and use the occasional visual filter when I want to bring a particular aspect of the text to the forefront and at other times look at the Greek and Hebrew for myself with guidance from well-respected commentators who know the languages better than I do.

Y'all version is a sign of our times, some might say symptomatic of our times.

NathanL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300747#Comment_1300747

Not sure if this is a joke or not..

As a non American, isn't "y'all" hillbilly talk? [A]

Tony Walker

I’ll step in and say I think it’s a good idea. Being able to see the plural second person pronouns will be helpful for those who don’t read the original languages.

plus, John is a brilliant guy when it comes to technology. Exchanged emails with him and the head manager of the Apple Lisa last week.

Tony Walker

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300748#Comment_1300748

Not sure if this is a joke or not..

As a non American, isn't "y'all" hillbilly talk?

In my mdiv Greek classes I purposely turned in assignments with you for singular and y’all for plural. The teacher understood why I did it and allowed it to be a correct answer.

on second person plural genitives I even used: y’all’s

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300748#Comment_1300748

Not sure if this is a joke or not..

As a non American, isn't "y'all" hillbilly talk?

That's a stereotype. It's pretty universally used for you plural in the South, whereas "you guys" is often used in the North and on the West Coast, though some people are trying to get others to abandon that because it is gender specific and makes some women feel excluded. I'm not bothered by it, personally. I've felt part of "you guys" ever since I grew up in New England and watched the "Hey you guys!" trope repeatedly on The Electric Company as a kid.

Anyway, the people who are trying to get rid of "you guys" are suggesting that folks use "you all" or "y'all" instead.

Bernhard

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300769#Comment_1300769

Just speak German and you ("ihr", not "du") won't have that problem [:P]

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300776#Comment_1300776

Just speak German and you ("ihr", not "du") won't have that problem

Or easier for us, just speak Old or Middle English - think up to the 16th/17th century or so.

Frank Sauer

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300769#Comment_1300769

Not sure if this is a joke or not..

As a non American, isn't "y'all" hillbilly talk?

That's a stereotype. It's pretty universally used for you plural in the South, whereas "you guys" is often used in the North and on the West Coast, though some people are trying to get others to abandon that because it is gender specific and makes some women feel excluded. I'm not bothered by it, personally. I've felt part of "you guys" ever since I grew up in New England and watched the "Hey you guys!" trope repeatedly on The Electric Company as a kid.

Anyway, the people who are trying to get rid of "you guys" are suggesting that folks use "you all" or "y'all" instead.

Also grew up in and moved back to New England - some pockets in the area used "yous guys" too, but you guys is still the daily pretty much everywhere I go.

Fabian

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300778#Comment_1300778

Just speak German and you ("ihr", not "du") won't have that problem

Or easier for us, just speak Old or Middle English - think up to the 16th/17th century or so.

Which is based on old German.

EastTN

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300769#Comment_1300769

That's a stereotype. It's pretty universally used for you plural in the South, whereas "you guys" is often used in the North and on the West Coast, though some people are trying to get others to abandon that because it is gender specific and makes some women feel excluded. I'm not bothered by it, personally. I've felt part of "you guys" ever since I grew up in New England and watched the "Hey you guys!" trope repeatedly on The Electric Company as a kid.

That's correct. One of the best ways to make a Southerner cringe is to misuse "ya'll" by applying it as a singular. That's as grating a grammatical mistake to an educated Southerner as saying "I are..." or "We am...".

And Rosie, thanks for the Electric Company reference. That's a true blast from the past.

Lew Worthington

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300782#Comment_1300782

Also grew up in and moved back to New England - some pockets in the area used "yous guys" too, but you guys is still the daily pretty much everywhere I go.

I almost mentioned "yous guys", but I couldn't remember where I heard it the most. But I was mainly in the Midwest.

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300812#Comment_1300812

We need a new Logos lexicon. For example, what is the difference between:

Y'all and "All y'all"?

"The beans are all" (There aren't any left)

(‾◡◝)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300814#Comment_1300814

Really?

This past spring marked my 50th year as a Christian. I've seen a lot of fads blow thru the church in those years. And, frankly, I am so tired of novelty, the next big thing, people constantly trying to find the front of the parade so others can follow, marketing hype, drum banging, and other various and assorted gimmicks, etc.

Ask yourself, "How did the Church ever manage to survive and thrive for thousands of years without the Y'all Bible? Much less the last 500 years of English translations?

Regardless, I am sure it will make a splash and there will be a fanbase that swears the Y'all Bible has opened up the Scriptures for them/changed their lives forever/brought them a closer walk with Jesus/healed their psoriasis/whatever. But, I also won't be surprised to see it wind up on the Christian discount and clearance table in five years - right next to the Footprints in the Sand posters and the Precious Moments figurines and the Thomas Kincaid artwork and ...

A weary groan and a pass for me. 😒

Tony Walker

Using John's idea, I made a Visual Filter that turns all second person plural pronouns and all second person plural verbs to green text if anyone would like to use it:

New Testament https://flshare.net/s38on9

Old Testament https://flshare.net/t69bs

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300814#Comment_1300814

what is the difference between:

Y'all and "All y'all"?

John Dyer (being in residence at DTS) would know that y'all is 2nd person singular or plural, but all y'all is 2nd person plural.

I'll wait for the y'uns version to indicate plural [:D]

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1300828#Comment_1300828

If we have the “Ye” version why not the more contemporary “Y’all” version? 😂😂😂

DAL