فَـ«وَا» مُخْتَصَّةٌ بِالْمَنْدُوبِ، وَ«يَا» مُشْتَرَكَةٌ بَيْنَ النِّدَاءِ وَالنَّدْبِ. وَحُكْمُهُ فِي الْإِعْرَابِ وَالْبِنَاءِ مِثْلُ حُكْمِ الْمُنَادَى.
Translation: “Wā” is specific to lamentation; “yā” serves both ordinary address and lamentation. The lamented noun follows vocative rules of case and fixed form.
A sentence beginning with “yā” need not be ordinary address; form and meaning determine the function.
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Al-Munādā: Vocative Types and Rules
فَـ«وَا» مُخْتَصَّةٌ بِالْمَنْدُوبِ، وَ«يَا» مُشْتَرَكَةٌ بَيْنَ النِّدَاءِ وَالنَّدْبِ. وَحُكْمُهُ فِي الْإِعْرَابِ وَالْبِنَاءِ مِثْلُ حُكْمِ الْمُنَادَى.
Translation: “Wā” is specific to lamentation; “yā” serves both ordinary address and lamentation. The lamented noun follows vocative rules of case and fixed form.
A sentence beginning with “yā” need not be ordinary address; form and meaning determine the function.