y'all

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated > Tue, 5 Aug 2003 10:47:40 ,  "Baker, John" <
> JMB at STRADLEY.COM> wrote:
>
>     The late Joe Creason, a columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal
> from 1963 to 1974, used to assert that "y'all" could be either singular or
> plural.  I never understood this, since it was contrary to all of my experience.

Joe Creason worked with my father Joseph Landau on the Courier-Journal (and
its afternoon edition, the Louisville Times) for many years.  I would imagine
Creason started working for the Courier-Journal in the 1930's or 1940's.  He
died of a sudden heart attack in the 1970's, perhaps in 1974, so he may have
been writing that column until the day of his death.

Creason was from a small town in the "Jackson Purchase" (that part of
Kentucky west of the Tennessee River) named, if I remember correctly, "Benton".  I
don't know how old he was when he moved to Louisville or whether he lived
anywhere else for any substantial period of time.  His particular field of interest
was rural Kentucky anecdotes, legends, etc. and when he started his column in
1963 it was largely (as I recall exclusively) rural Kentucky stories.

I must have met Creason any number of times while growing up, but I don't
recall any speech patterns of his.  (Incidentally, it is probable that Creason
was well acquainted with David Maurer, who was a long-time friend of my
father's.)

My father, who lived in Louisville his entire life, except for Army service
from 1943-6, said "you-all" rather than "y'all" and used it only for the
plural.

      - James A. Landau