the essence of what it is to be ya-ya 
(ROOT (NP (NP (DT the) (NN essence)) (PP (IN of) (SBAR (WHNP (WP what)) (S (NP (NP (PRP it))) (VP (VBZ is) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB be) (UH ya-) (PRP ya))))))))))
(ROOT (NP (NP (DT ) (NN )) (PP (IN ) (SBAR (WHNP (WP )) (S (NP (NP (PRP ))) (VP (VBZ ) (S (VP (TO ) (VP (VB ) (UH ) (PRP ))))))))))