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Edwynn -> RE: Linguistic fuckupery (1/24/2012 8:03:38 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: stellauk
Y'all, or 'yall or yawl?
I once worked with a guy from Texas who would say 'y'all' to me, even though there was only him and me standing in the room.
It's "y'all," as was explained somewhere soon after your post, a contraction of "you all," that itself being a condensed expression of "all of you," hence the expedient of y'all. While on such matters, it's "even though there were only he and I standing in the room."
When addressing two people standing astride and using the word "you' there is always the question by the addressees; "do you mean just me, or both of us?" When common usage of "y'all" is familiar to all parties, the distinction between "you" (with eye contact) and "y'all" makes it clear, with out need for the ungainly and inelegant "talkin' to you!"or "you guys."
In any event non-natives are the only ones that I have heard relate usage of y'all for the second person singular (however few of them). I'm sure I could have missed one or two occasions of that incidence myself, but being in the south (USA) most of my life, I don't recall it. If in the conversation it is understood that the second person and, say, your friend(s) or family are involved in whatever question or proposition, then it is indeed likely that "y'all" (second person plural) could be invoked with only she/he and you in the room.
I think the guy from Texas watched too many movies and TV shows (where incorrect usage is common) to help figure out what he was supposed to be like. Not an unusual occurrence.
PS
The German language has the direct equivalent of the word y'all when in the familiar address, that being "ihr," while in formal address the non-specified sing./pl. "Sie" (you) is used.
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