Tag Archives: y’all

“Fourth Person:” You, One, Y’All

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Ben

In most English speaker’s everyday language, “you” can represent an indefinite referent. That is, when I say “you never can tell” I don’t mean that you, the specific person I’m talking to, never can tell, but rather that “somebody never can … Continue reading →

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Posted in Miscellaneous Accents and Dialects | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Is the Southern Accent Leaving the cities?

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Ben

Immediately upon posting yesterday’s dissection of “y’all,” I came across a recent piece in North Carolina’s Cary News, titled Y’alls’ accent is fading. The article discusses the erosion of the traditional “Southern Accent” in urban areas. This passage sums it … Continue reading →

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Posted in American English | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Remarkable History of “Y’all”

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Ben

In contemporary New York City, it is common to hear local teenagers use the word “y’all.” A few decades ago, this word would have been confined to speakers of African American Vernacular English (AAVE), who brought the word with them … Continue reading →

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Posted in American English | Tagged , , , | 53 Comments