I agree completely with Barry that "y'all" is a plural pronoun and any singular
usage is improper. Being a native of Tennessee and now a resident of Georgia,
I claim some expertise in Southern speech, and the only times I can recall ever
hearing "y'all" used to address an individual were either from transplanted
Yankees trying to fit in or in bad TV shows and movies.
Also, one should also be aware of the various permutations via contraction,
such as:
"Y'all're," as in, "Y'all're in the way here."
"Y'all'll," as in, "Y'all're in the way here, so y'all'll have to move."
"Y'all's," as in, "Y'all're in the way here, so y'all'll have to move y'all's
asses."
"Y'all've," as in, "Y'all're in the way here, so y'all'll have to move y'all's
asses, and y'all've been too damn rowdy, too."
"Y'all'd," as in, "Y'all're in the way here, so y'all'll have to move y'all's
asses, and y'all've been too damn rowdy, too, so we'd jus' as soon y'all'd
leave now."
And so it goes.
Tell yer mama and them I said hi. :-)
Walt
--
"Anything more than 500 yards from
the car just isn't photogenic." --
Edward Weston
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Barry B. Bean" <bbbean@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 08:57:34 -0400, Stephen Troy wrote:
>
> >At 08:30 PM 06/06/2005 -0400, Chuck Norcutt wrote:
> >>Actually, "Y'all" is never used to address an individual. It's a lesson
> >> my southern raised daughter continues to try and impress upon her
> >>Yankee raised father... who makes this error all the time despite her
> >>efforts at reforming me.
> >>
> >>Chuck Norcutt
>
>
> >Based on many trips to Tennessee and Kentucky, I would beg to differ.
> >Maybe it's different in the deep, deep south.
>
> Having spent my entire life in the north end of the Delta and Tennessee, and
> being a bona fide graduate of "The University of the South", I can assure you
> that y'all is plural, and using it to refer to an
> individual is a clear signal that you're either not from here, or you're
> trying
> too hard. FWIW, my Mississippi girl bride agrees wholeheartedly.
>
> So if'n y'all wonts to be fittin' in down heah, y'all beter'd be savin' the
> y'all for times when y'all are commencin to refer to more'n one of us'n.
> Elsewise, we might jes up and assume y'all ain't from heah.
>
> --
> Barry B. Bean
> Bean & Bean Cotton Company
> Peach Orchard, MO
> www.beancotton.com
> www.beanformissouri.org
>
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