Date:  Fri, 20 Jan 1995 17:14:26 -0500

From:  Bill Cole - 919-248-6118 <cole[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]DG-RTP.DG.COM>

Subject: Re: 2 pl



<snip>

>     My guess is it will not replace "y'all", though, for as long

> as Southerners want to be different from Northerners (certainly the

> foreseeable future!). I became a "y'all" user after moving to Georgia

> at age 15 (1974-82), but it's one of the single most salient dialect-

> markers I can think of. For me, my Southern phonology was incompatible

> with "you guys", just as my Northern accent sounds ridiculous with

> "y'all". But maybe in medial places like Indiana, etc, it's different.

<snip>



I have to disagree, Peter. "Y'all" has become pretty ubiquitous. I've

heard lots of folks in the Midwest use it. Southerners may have started

it but it's being picked up by other areas.



I would have offered "hey" until last night. "Hey" is the typical greeting

here in the South (there's disagreement if Raleigh or North Carolina is

actually in the South given the vast number of NY, NJ, MD & MA license

plates around here). But on "Mad About You" last night four people greeted

each other with "hey". Scared me.



BTW: "Y'all" may be short for "you all" but "you all" is never used by any

self-respecting Southerner.



Ugly question: How much effect does television have on our dialect?



/Bill Cole     : To do right, love justice and walk humbly.

(919)248-6118

Data General Corp.

Enterprise Application Customer Support Center

RTP, NC

The opinions are my own, thank you.