Southern Translation

Mary L B Pendergraft pender at wfu.edu
Thu Oct 15 05:43:16 EDT 1998


At 06:06 PM 10/14/98 EDT, Christopher Hutson wrote:
>
>Jonathan wrote:
>
>> 
>>I use this in Little Greek 101. However, it's important to be aware
>that
>>many Southerners use y'all as a 2nd person singular or plural form,
>so I
>>carefully state the distinction that I'm drawing.
>>
>
>I think that "y'all" as a 2nd person singular is a Yankee
>misperception of traditional Southern speech.  When Southerners say
>"y'all," they usually (always?) intend the plural force. That is, if I
>ask, "How are y'all doin' today?" I am addressing a group.  If I say
>it to you when we are the only two in the room, then I am asking about
>your family.  
>


That's correct for NC too.
Mary


Mary Pendergraft
Associate Professor of Classical Languages
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem  NC  27109-7343
336-758-5331 (NOTE:  this is a new number)	 pender at wfu.edu



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