Posted on 02/20/2005 7:45:38 PM PST by bayourod
In a June appearance on NBC's Today Show, singer Marc Anthony made an unusual but, according to some linguists, not-so-surprising word choice.
When co-host Matt Lauer asked Anthony how he'd spend the upcoming weekend, Anthony said, "Y'all know I don't talk about my personal life."
A New York native of Puerto Rican descent using "y'all," a distinctly Southern term?
Linguists Guy Bailey and Jan Tillery would say Anthony is exhibit A in a national trend that is spreading the uses of "y'all" beyond the South. The two, who teach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, wrote an article in 2000 called The Nationalization of a Southernism, in the Journal of English Linguistics.
After conducting a national poll by telephone, the team concluded that the spread was dramatic and recent, most likely in the past 50 years as younger non-Southerners were significantly more likely to use "y'all" than older non-Southerners. Those regions bordering the South and Texas, like Kansas and New Mexico, were most likely to adopt it, as well as the Rocky Mountain region, which, they argued, had cultural similarities with the South.
As for why non-Southerners might use a markedly Southern term, the authors cite geographic mobility — Northerners moving to the South adopting it and Southerners moving to the North retaining it. But ultimately, the authors argue, it's a matter of addressing a "hole" in the English language.
Ever since English lost the second person singular "thou," it has relied on the pronoun "you" to act as both singular and plural. English speakers have improvised ways to avoid ambiguity in the plural: in the Northeast, "youse" or "youse guys"; around Pittsburgh "yunz" or "yinz," a contraction of "you-ones"; in the South, "y'all," a contraction — or "fusion" as Bailey and Tillery say — of "you-all"; and finally "you guys."
But "you guys" feels awkward to certain segments of the population, says Joan Houston Hall, chief editor of the Dictionary of American Regional English. A term that gained popularity in the 1960s, it still sounds inappropriately familiar to some elderly ears, she says, and some women are uncomfortable with the masculine gender implied by "guys." "Y'all" elegantly resolves all these concerns.
Others argue that "y'all" is spreading for a much simpler reason: Both culturally and numerically, the South is on the rise. But more important, "y'all" is standard in what linguists call African-American Vernacular English (AAVE), the lingua franca of rap and hip-hop.
Well if southerners talked as fast as New Yorkers we might have time to say "you all", but if we didn't take shortcuts we'd never finish a sentence.
I don't like this linguistic dispersion of "y'all." Only Southerners can say it correctly, putting the necessary inflection and drawn-out drawl in the word.
Next thing you know, y'all will be stealing our "don'cha know" phrase and start calling it your own.
But y'all should know that we Southerners - when conversing with family, friends and business associates from the Midwest and North make an effort to say "you guys".
When it is a formal/semi-formal business discussion it is rare (and perhaps a slip) if we say y'all.
Sure, we slip back into our natural accent and terms when we relax. However, we observe that more Southerners are saying "guys" - so perhaps there is a blend.
Reminder: We practically NEVER say "you-all" (except older people.) Y'all - when spoken to an individual - is NEVER meant as a singular term. Someone else (family, group, etc. is included.) And one of the harshest sounds to a Southerner is the dropping of "g" from the "ing" in movies/plays.
It immediately becomes apparent that the actor/actress is not from the South, nor is the director. Southerners don't say "Anythin".
To conclude on "Y'all"; it does have a warmth and informality to it. And warmth, informality and instant superficial friendship is what Southerners are know for. :o)
Now can we move on to discussions of why Bostonians can't pronounce "Peabody" correctly? :o)
fine with me.
i know people in the ol business in texas. and i've learned to say burn-it, not bur-net.
abouta month ago some "intellectual" called into klbj early in the morning and started out laughing at sheriff sam, one of the hosts:
"i looked up the word 'redneck' in my dictionary and it describes you." click.
i thought it was rude and stupid. sheriff sam has more on the ball than the caller.
a friend of mine got fired in austin for speaking with a texas accent among liberals in the media business. they were constantly correcting his english.
When you live in the country everybody is your neighbor
On this one thing you can rely
They'll all come to see you and they'll never ever leave you
Y'all come to see us bye and bye
Y'all come (y'all come), y'all come (y'all come)
Oh, you all come to see us when you can
Y'all come (y'all come), y'all come (y'all come)
Oh, you all come to see us now and then
Now Grandma's a-wishing you'd come out the kitchen
And help do the dishes right away
Then they all start a-leaving, and though she's a-grieving
You can still hear grandma say
Y'all come (y'all come), y'all come (y'all come)
Oh, you all come to see us when you can
Y'all come (y'all come), y'all come (y'all come)
Oh, you all come to see us now and then
But y'all should know that we Southerners - when conversing with family, friends and business associates from the Midwest and North make an effort to say "you guys".
When it is a formal/semi-formal business discussion it is rare (and perhaps a slip) if we say y'all.
Sure, we slip back into our natural accent and terms when we relax. However, we observe that more Southerners are saying "guys" - so perhaps there is a blend.
Reminder: We practically NEVER say "you-all" (except older people.) Y'all - when spoken to an individual - is NEVER meant as a singular term. Someone else (family, group, etc. is included.) And one of the harshest sounds to a Southerner is the dropping of "g" from the "ing" in movies/plays.
It immediately becomes apparent that the actor/actress is not from the South, nor is the director. Southerners don't say "Anythin".
To conclude on "Y'all"; it does have a warmth and informality to it. And warmth, informality and instant superficial friendship is what Southerners are know for. :o)
Now can we move on to discussions of why Bostonians can't pronounce "Peabody" correctly? :o)
You are right. My little sister, 7 years younger, had one of the girl teen mags and I was reading it. I read an article about a junior miss pageant, and one of the remarks from a Southern entrant was something like "Y'all say 'you guys' all the time. I keep looking for the guys!" Somehow that stuck in my head!
Don'cha know it.
tell your mom and them I said hey...
Now, just a cotton pickin' minute!
you'ns et yet?
"The correct expression is "you all." Ya'll is vulgar vernacular."
Only in Blue States.
Have you been watching Blue Collar TV??...lol
we strip cotton...we don''t pick it.
Nor do I.
Nitz - indulge me, and ask Rex how one pronounces "Houston" and "triborough".
Posted on 02/20/2005 7:45:38 PM PST by bayerod
In a June appeareence on NBC's Today Show, singer Marc Chattanooga made an unusual but, acco'din' t'some lin'uists, not-so-surprisin' wo'd choice.
When co-host Matt Lauer axed Chattanooga how he'd spend th' upa-comin' weekend, Chattanooga said, "Y'all knows ah doesn't talk about mah varmintal life."
A Noo Yawk native of Puerto Rican dexcent usin' "y'all," a distinckly Southern term?
Lin'uists Guy Bailey an' Jan Tillery'd say Chattanooga is exhibit A in a nashunal trend thet is spreadin' th' uses of "y'all" beyond th' South. Th' two, who larn at th' Unyversity of Texas at San Antonio, wrote an article in 2000 called Th' Nashunalizashun of a Southernism, in th' Journal of English Lin'uistics.
Af'er cornduckin' a nashunal poll by tellyphone, th' team corncluded thet th' spread was dramatic an' recent, most likely in th' past 50 years as yo'nger non-Southerners were significantly mo'e likely t'use "y'all" than older non-Southerners. Them regions bo'derin' th' South an' Texas, like Kansas an' Noo Mexico, were most likely t'adopp it, as fine as th' Rocky Mountain region, which, they argued, had cultural similarities wif th' South.
As fo' whuffo' non-Southerners might use a markedly Southern term, th' autho's cite geographic mobility — No'therners movin' t'th' South adoppin' it an' Southerners movin' t'th' No'th retainin' it. But ultimately, th' autho's argue, it's a matter of addressin' a "hole" in th' English language.
Evah on account o' English lost th' second varmint sin'ular "thou," it has relied on th' pronoun "yo'" t'ack as both sin'ular an' plural, ah reckon. English speakers haf improvised ways t'avoid amtrimenjusuity in th' plural: in th' No'theast, "yo'se" o' "yo'se guys"; aroun' Pittsburgh "yunz" o' "yinz," a corntrackshun of "yo'-ones"; in th' South, "y'all," a corntrackshun — o' "fushun" as Bailey an' Tillery say — of "yo'-all"; an' finally "yo' guys."
But "yo' guys" feels awkward t'sartin segments of th' populashun, says Joan Hoeston Hall, chief edito' of th' Dickshunary of South Car'linan Regional English. A term thet gained popularity in th' 1960s, it still soun's inappropriately familiar t'some elderly ears, she says, an' some wimmen is uncomfy wif th' masculine junder implied by "guys." "Y'all" elegantly resolves all these corncerns.
Others argue thet "y'all" is spreadin' fo' a much simpler reason: Both culturally an' noomrically, th' South is on th' rise. But mo'e impo'tant, "y'all" is stan'ard in whut lin'uists call African-South Car'linan Vernacular English (AAVE), th' lin'ua franca of rap an' hip-hop.
lol! Gee, where have I heard that before? ;-)
Is there something else? I'm from Georgia. If you don't say Y'all, we know you ain't from these parts.
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