There are many ways to say "you" in the English language, but none of them are used as much in this part of the country as "y'all."
Sometimes a person is only referring to one person in which case they may or may not use the plural form y'all as opposed to the singular ya, as in "How ya doin'?" It seems strange to be asked, "How y'all doin'," when there is only one person to answer, but Okies are cool like that and make sure they include all your imaginary friends and relatives in their query.
If there is a group of two or more, sometimes they will use the term all y'all just to make sure everyone feels included. "Are all y'all goin' to the game tonight?" I know, it makes you cringe, doesn't it? Sorry.
The spelling is often a challenge for those who use the term, but my spell checker assures me that I have the apostrophe in the right place as y'all is a contraction for you all. I suppose if you wanted to get technical about it though, if an Okie says ya for you, ya'll would also be correct.
I worked with a woman once who used the term you'uns but that always sounded funny to me. I am originally from Arizona, and I still slip up from time to time and say you guys when referring to a group of people. I'm not sure what is the proper way to address a group, but I guess when in Rome... er rather when in Oklahoma do as the Okies do.
How about y'all? What term do you use when addressing a group?
in ireland you could also say, how are ye or how is ya
ReplyDeletehow is ya wan, would mean ya inquiring about ones wife or gf hehe
"you guys" must be a midwest thing. I'm from Michigan and that's what we say to address a group of people, no matter the gender. Although I have been in a group of women and heard "you ladies".
ReplyDeleteJust use you up here, no y'all comes near
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midwest and we say "you guys" to a group -- even if it's men and women mixed. No "ya'lls" here! LOL. Happy A-to-Z 2013! ~Angela, Whole Foods Living, http://www.wholefoodsliving.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI say "Hello All" :) Or You Guys!
ReplyDeleteI use y'all (although I prefer the ya'll spelling, which makes my spell-checker crazy) when addressing a group...it has gotten me lots of snickers living in Japan and England! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a born and raised Midwesterner (from Ohio) now living in North Carolina. So I also use "you guys" when addressing a group. (Of course, I also still call soda "pop." This bugs Southerners to no end.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my Yuma post. We camped there once during our 2 1/2 years on the road. It was mid-summer and beastly, and I could not imagine going there deliberately. But I fell in love with the desert and we settled in Santa Fe. Somewhere in my childhood (probably N Carolina) I picked up y'all and still use it. I especially like it for informal decision-making: "Whatever y'all want to do is fine with me." Mary at Mary A to Z
ReplyDeleteMy family is from Oklahoma and yes, the Okies say "ya'll" all the time. But here in Wyoming, it's not used as much except by people who have moved here from Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteMidwesterner here as well: you guys. But I have heard "yous".
ReplyDeleteI've been converted and have been in the south long enough that I say y'all. When we moved down here from NY our parish priest used to meet as at the door of our church and call us "you-guys" sort of as a joke to us yankee's!
ReplyDeleteWe use "you guys" in Rhode Island too. Love that idea of the greeting 'y'all' being inclusive of all one's imaginary friends. Very cute Y post. Thanks. God bless, Maria at Delight Directed Living
ReplyDeleteI'm from Arkansas. I saw y'all:))
ReplyDeleteBeing English .. I'd probably say Hallo everyone - but again .. the more formal Good Morning, Good Afternoon .. etc ..
ReplyDeleteDepends on the crowd! Cheers Hilary