I think I've been hearing "y'all" used more often for plural you, and it makes me very happy. English is in great need of a plural you, as indicated by the common and constant use of "you guys" for groups of people. I use "you guys," too, being part of the culture, but I don't like it or what it implies, and try not to.
Try it out in this context, which I just saw on Twitter:
Men try to convince me that "guys" is a gender neutral term, but when I ask them how many guys they've slept with, they take offense...It seemed to me a perfect observation, nearly crystalline. Yet the comments in response... whoa, these people are not having the idea that our language is sexist in any way. No sirree.
2 comments:
I dislike “you guys” too — I say “you folks” (which I don’t really like either) instead. But I think there’s a difference in use between “guys” in direct address (addressing any group, whatever its make-up), and “guys” in “How many guys,” &c., where the gender is built into the word.
By the way, what you’re hearing is “y’all.” :)
Our town has a long-gone restaurant that still (I think) bears a sign, “How Ya’ll Are” — that’s what made me notice the spelling.
Oh, how embarrassing... I can't believe I spelled y'all wrong. It was late. Thanks, Michael - fixed now!
Post a Comment