Youse/You-uns possessive

[Dennis R. Preston]

I have no doubt that "interdialectal" (or "hypercorrect") forms of
the possessive marker on "yunz" and "youse" might exist. They make
pretty good sense in a dialect contact situation. And who's to say
when such a form does not embed itself into the next generation;s
vernacular?

dInIs

>I find a handful of "youse's" on  Google, but some are clearly
>burlesques.  Maybe people who say "youse's" don't use the Net much.
>
>My friend's mother in NYC was the first "youse" user I can remember.
>I *think* she said "youse's" too, but I can't trust my memory either.
>
>JL
>
>Bill Lemay <blemay0 at MCHSI.COM> wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Bill Lemay
>Subject: Re: Youse/You-uns possessive
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>  Any native speakers out there willing to confirm or
>>  deny that youse or you-uns can be used in the
>>  possessive.
>
>I grew up in and currently live in youse territory, and I never heard it used
>in the possessive.
>
>Bill Le May
>
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--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Morrill Hall 15-C
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
Office: (517) 453-4736
Fax: (517) 453-3755