From itsnon-rhotic pronunciation. Comparefo'(“for; four”),ho(“whore”). Related to, though not directly descended from, obsoletemo with the same meaning.
mo'
- (dialectal, African-American Vernacular)Pronunciation spelling ofmore, representing non-rhotic AAVE English.
1904, Clifton Johnson,Highways and Byways of the South, page124:But the people are great han's for religion, and it's a common saying they gotmo' religion an' less morals than yo'll find anywhere else in the world.
1916, Official Proceedings,Western Railway Club, page143:A millennium, mah son, am jes' de same as a thousan' legged worm, only hits gotmo' legs.
2005, Tim Brooks,Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919, page137:Brethren if you wantmo' preachin', save a little dram for me.
Contraction ofmodo.
mo'
- only used ina mo' di
mo'
- alternative spelling ofmo
mo'
- alternative form ofmoʼ
mo'
- alternative form ofmore
1927, “THE FORTH MAN'S GRACE AFTER A SCANTY DINNER”, inTHE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page137, line 3:Gin we have nomo' maate, it maakes nomo' matter,- [If we have nomore meat, it makes nomore matter,]
- Kathleen A. Browne (1927), “THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD.”, inJournal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of lreland (Sixth Series)[1], volume17, number 2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, page137
mo'
- alternative form ofmoʼ
