Re: The future of the English second person plural (was Re: Aquestion)

Patrick Dunn wrote:
>
> On Sat, 14 Aug 1999, Tom Wier wrote:
>
> > Barry Garcia wrote:
> >
> > > I have noticed among my peers that we often say either <y'all> or <you
> > > guys> when we mean second person plural. I hardly ever use <you> for the
> > > second person plural because to me it doesnt sound right (even though it's
> > > correct). When i did my pronoun charts for my conlangs i used <you all>
> > > instead of just <you> because i noticed in my language classes using <you>
> > > for the 2nd person plural gets confused with 1st person singular <you>.
> > >
> > > Personally, i see <y'all> becomming used much more often. Especially with
> > > people who come from this area (Monterey), and even the Bay Area. As my
> > > generation gets older i see <y'all> being used more than <you guys>
> >
> > I find it very interesting that you say this, because I have always gotten the
> > impression from people outside the South that it's very looked down upon,
> > that educated people wouldn't be caught dead, so to speak, saying it, because
> > it marks you as a "hick".  I'm happy to see that I'm mistaken in that respect. :)
>
> Around here, that seems to be the consensus (ironic, considering most of
> the people around here *are* hicks!)  It appears that yous and youguys
> (sometimes yousguys, although not often) are the favorite forms of the
> northern midwest.
>
> --Patrick
Saying y'all around where I live marks you, if not as a hick, definitely
as an outsider.  I've heard people say yous, but that's looked upon
mostly as uneducated.  You guys is very popular and not looked at in any
sort of negative light.  By the way, here=southwestern connecticut

nicole