2d plurals (was: "man" vs. "guy" redux)

[Herbert Stahlke]

Is it possible that y'all used in the singular is polite?

Herb

-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
Of James Smith
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 5:15 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: 2d plurals (was: "man" vs. "guy" redux)


I thought "y'all" was 2nd person singular, "all y'all"
was 2nd person plural.

--- Peter Richardson <prichard at LINFIELD.EDU> wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Nov 2002, Laurence Horn wrote:
>
> > to the roped-off area a few yards back), "Y'all
> have to stand back
> > there".  Definitely a second-person singular
> "y'all", although it
> > could be argued that it designated "you and anyone
> else (not now
> > present) in your situation".
>
> yep, yep, heard in Arkansas as well: y'all for a
> singular. Must be part of
> that Arkansas / New Haven axis pioneered by Bill
> Clinton.
>
> Peter R.


=====
James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus – Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com