Re: USAGE: Singular <y'all>? (was Re: Californian vowels [was Re: Liking German])

In a message dated 10/2/01 2:15:17 AM, zsau@YAHOO.COM.AU writes:

<< Can anyone suggest why? >>

    I'll venture a guess--at least, for one of them.

"Ah, if only Nik wasn't on vacation!"

    For whatever reason, this particular phrase emphasizes the onliness of
Nik and not of the whole phrase.  However:

"Ah, if only Nik was not on vacation!"

    Seems okay because the "not" draws the emphasis and the stress.  However,
with your last example: "Ah, if only Nik weren't on vacation!"  I doesn't
seem to sound wrong to me anymore, though it did sound odd at first.  I think
I've been saying it too much to myself...

-David