you-all's

[Bob Haas]

I understand what you mean, Natalie, and I agree with the rationale.  I just
like the punctuation of the "y'all" variant.  But I think that simply
highlights my penchant for marks of punctuation.  I like 'em.  Maybe I feel
they add order--I dunno.  I just know that I like it when they're not there.

> From: Natalie Maynor <maynor at CS.MSSTATE.EDU>
> Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 11:09:38 -0500
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: you-all's
>
>> If you don't put the mark in aren't you just as strongly taking a position
>> in the debate?
>
> Did you mean to say if I do put it in?  I think not putting it in
> is more likely to be perceived as a statement of position in the debate
> since using the apostrophe is the traditional spelling.  I like the
> neatness of the "yall" spelling, though.