So, is the use of...

[Kahuna Burger]

Apropos of nothing, on a comic strip blog I'm reading, there is an occasionally rabid discussion going on of whether "Y'all" is a preferred gender neutral term to "You guys" or whether it makes you sound uneducated, or if saying it makes you sound uneducated is geographical bigotry, or whether "you guys" is acceptably gender neutral to begin with... The two discussions together have blended in my mind into a surreal whole.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Thought I'd chime in.

Y'all is pretty common where I am - over by Knoxville. I believe the plural here, however, is "y'uns" or "you-uns".

The biggest thing dividing us here, with all the immigrants from the North, East and West (I'm from Michigan originally), is how they pronounce where I live: Maryville.

It's not Mary-ville, like the newcomers say, and it's not Murrvull like the oldtimers say. It's like Maryland... easy nuff.

Y'all is plural - all means everyone, which is an inclusive not a singular. technically, y'all shouldn't be used when talking to just one person - that would be you, however, we all know it does.

Originally, Maryland WAS pronounced Mary-land, but I feel you, Maraville, got it.

 

[Glyfair]

And just for the record: regardless of where the Mason-Dixon line is drawn Delaware is NOT a Southern State. At least from the persepective in the Heart of Dixie.

[Off topic]We in the New Castle County would agree. Those in the Southern Counties, Kent & Sussex, might disagree (except in the beach areas).

Historically, Delaware would probably have sided with the South if Maryland hadn't been kept in the union by Lincoln. Being isolated from the rest made it impossible, especially with the northern part of the state mostly being opposed.

We were a slave state (and one not affected by the Emancipation Proclamation). That's why we are typically referred to as a "Border State" since we have connections to both the North and the South. [/Off-topic]

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Maryland = Maerlund
Baltimore = Balmer, Hun
Louisville = Louval

Theory: "you guys" refers to males, "youse guys" is gender neutral.

 

[Bloodstone Press]

I adopted "y'all" when I moved to the south, nearly 20 years ago. Its useful and, IMO, more gender appropriate than "you guys." Although northerners may say "you guys" to refer to any group of people, when southerners hear "you guys" they tend to think you mean only the males.

On the other hand, I will never say "fixin." As in "I'm fixin to go to work." Or as the folks around these parts say it, "Fitin." (Ahm fitin ta whoop y'alls asses!). That just sounds silly. No matter how long I live in the south, I'll never get over that.

As for pronouncing local names, if you ever come to Nashville remember "Demonbreun" is de-MUN-bri-un" not "DEMON-bruin."

 

[cjyoung1]

We had yous - plural of you, in parts of Michigan (Lower Peninsula - Yupers don't really count) due to the Polish and German influences. Every waitress in my Home town all ways asks, "whach yous want, hon?"

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I'm a Kentucky southerner, and while I use y'all as a pronoun, I'd never think to extend it to "y'all's stuff" in the possessive.

I'd say "your stuff."

I'd say, "If y'all want to ride together, leave your cars on the street."

Hmmm... Although I could imagine saying, "Y'all's kids are runnin' wild on my lawn."

 

[Halivar]

Irony: I use y'all quite often, but though I've lived most of my adult life in various parts of the southern US, I grew up in Southern California, and adopted y'all before ever setting foot in the South. In SoCal, y'all takes quite the backseat to "dude", which is an entire language all by itself (up there with "hooah", but that's a whole 'nother story, dude).

I grew up as an army brat, so my colloquialisms are cobbled together from all parts of the US. People were very confused when I'd say, "Dude, y'all."

 

[Glyfair]

I adopted "y'all" when I moved to the south, nearly 20 years ago. Its useful and, IMO, more gender appropriate than "you guys." Although northerners may say "you guys" to refer to any group of people, when southerners hear "you guys" they tend to think you mean only the males.

That explains something. I recently had a couple originally from Georgia join my game. When getting ready to start I asked if "you guys" were ready. She asked why I excluded her. We brushed past it, but that explains the confusion.

 

[Yesminde]

Ah, but you forget the all-time best gender-neutral address.

Oi! YOU LOT!

If you think a Southern accent is bizarre, you should try living in Ohio for a while. They just pronounce their city names strangely. Buena Vista? Most people say "Bwena Veesta" Ohioans? "Bewna Vista". Lima = "Leema".

Of course now I'm living in New York and the accents are so bad I feel compelled to hide under my bed so people won't tawk to me.