BYAI

What Does BYAI Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

BYAI means "Between You and I (grammatically incorrect version of "Between You and Me").

More Detail...

The abbreviation BYAI is typically used in computer-based conversations and text-speak to request discretion. By using BYAI, the sender is indicating that they are speaking in confidence and do not wish the information to be disseminated any further. Of note, BYAI is often used by native English speakers who like to gossip, in the full knowledge (and often in the hope) that the recipient of the information will pass it on. (See also BYAM.)

Image for BYAI

When I write BYAI, I mean this:

BYAI means "Between You And I," and is a favourite phrase of gossips.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

BYAI
Definition:	Between You and I (grammatically incorrect version of "Between You and Me")
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of BYAI in Sentences

Here are examples of BYAI in jokes:

• BYAI, my wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.

• BYAI, politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

An Academic Look at BYAI

BYAI is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Bee Why, Eh, Eye). However, as the abbreviation BYAI is typically used for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech it is not uttered using its letters. BYAI is actually grammatically incorrect. The word "I" must change to "me" when it is the object of a preposition (i.e., follows the preposition). The phrase should be "Between you and me", which is abbreviated as BYAM.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "keep this between us" or "between you, me and the doorpost" instead of using the abbreviation BYAI.

Example of BYAI Used in a Text

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