Y'all or You guys? (Houston, Austin: architecture, baptist, teacher)

[Terri722]

Sorry Scuba...but why would you let it obviously bother you that
people like this word...I have live in Texas all my life and have
never said *you guys* ....it's always be y'all... People use
the words and slang from their region...as you can plainly see,
some actually carry it home with them...I wouldn't think to tell
the British that they weren't using proper English...just because
it is not the way I talk...I love traveling and listening to how
people talk in different states and people always seem to love
my accent ....so relax and remember...to each their own....

[scubashawn68]

Originally Posted by Terri722

Sorry Scuba...but why would you let it obviously bother you that
people like this word...I have live in Texas all my life and have
never said *you guys* ....it's always be y'all... People use
the words and slang from their region...as you can plainly see,
some actually carry it home with them...I wouldn't think to tell
the British that they weren't using proper English...just because
it is not the way I talk...I love traveling and listening to how
people talk in different states and people always seem to love
my accent ....so relax and remember...to each their own....

I never said it bothers me. And I do believe in "to each their own" All I had said was that I did not feel that it was proper English.

[shamrockrover]

Originally Posted by scubashawn68

Sorry, but I do not buy that. As I have educated friends from Texas as well as other parts of the South and the do not use that type of language or "slang".

I'm college educated and use more slang than I know what to do with.

And I'm from South Mississippi.

In other words, bite me.

[catman]

scubashawn68: I must agree that it's not "proper English", but so what? Slang adds local or regional color, and it's fun to use.

[Westerner92]

Would Lubbock qualify for big city or other? I guess I'm a statistical anomally because I'm a native Texan and I say "you", "you guys", and "y'all". I would say that the most likely reason would be that my mom is from Texas, but grew up in California. TV might be a close second though. Is there amyone here like me?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Would Lubbock qualify for big city or other? I guess I'm a statistical anomally because I'm a native Texan and I say "you", "you guys", and "y'all". I would say that the most likely reason would be that my mom is from Texas, but grew up in California. TV might be a close second though. Is there amyone here like me?

If I am around people who say "You guys" for awhile, I tend to start saying it at times.

But...99.9% of the time, it's y'all...

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Would Lubbock qualify for big city or other? I guess I'm a statistical anomally because I'm a native Texan and I say "you", "you guys", and "y'all". I would say that the most likely reason would be that my mom is from Texas, but grew up in California. TV might be a close second though. Is there amyone here like me?

Greetings Y'all! LOL

As a preface, I HATE it when I start back to work after that long teacher summer vacation (which I notice doesn't get a lot of sympathy) and I cain't keep up with things each and every day! Just gotta play with the ketchup on weekends now..

I am just joking of course, but anyway, Westerner, you ask a GOOD question, and one I knew even as I started the poll, could never be one of black/white in terms of what is meant by "large city" and "other". That was why I added at the end of the OP that it really came down to one's own good judgement!

As to what I had in mind though is that "large city" be defined as those TRULY huge metro's like Houston, DFW, San Antonio, and Austin. Those which have exploded over the last few decades, and where migrants from out of state (legal and illegal), make up a goodly, if not majority, of the population. One in which, overall, it can be legitimately argued, that while IN Texas, demographic factors have changed over the years to the point is not OF Texas. Comparisons would be Atlanta in Georgia, or Miami in Florida.

Anyway, by my definition, Lubbock would be "other". A medium-large city and all, but not one that has lost its traditional character over the years to the point of being unrecognizable from the same...

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

If I am around people who say "You guys" for awhile, I tend to start saying it at times.

But...99.9% of the time, it's y'all...

I am still waiting on my HUG, Miss Cathy! LOL

But yep, you are right...and I hope I expressed it clear too when I started this whole damn thing! LOL

I was really curious as to if native Texans who live in truly large cities (like the niece I mentioned in the op) who had grown up saying y'all do, over time, adopt the idiom of non-Texas/Southern migrants just by default of sheer numbers! LOL Like the neice I mentioed as example. She sure didn't grow up saying "you guys", and neither did her husband (a West Texas native), but their years of going from one large city to the next (DFW and now Austin) has definitely affected the accent and idiom to some degree.

*both grinning and reflecting* But that works in an opposite direction as well, I think. And you say that too! That is, ones "natural accent and slang" will come back pretty quick when exposed back to it for even a short period of time.

My own kids. They were born and lived in Texas for quite a while and when their mother and I divorced, she took them back up to her native state of Kansas (violating a custody decree, but that is another story).

The clash of "y'all/you guys" when mine entered grade school up there is a funny one in itself (the South won initially), but over the years THEY came to say "you guys" as, over time, childhood and years gave way to truly growing up in the North. A natural linguistic adoption, I guess.

BUT? As you allude to, Cathy, with your own experience? When they come down to visit me? It doesn't take much time until they start saying "y'all" again! And naturally saying it. Even though they have not lived in Texas for many years, get them around kin and old friends and "y'all" is used natural as a sunrise.

That is not a point of braggin on my own kids, but just that linguistic science backs up that one develops their speech patterns fairly early in life. And it doesn't go away no matter how long the time away.

Also, I MIGHT venture to say that culinary science --- just might, maybe, perhaps? -- backs up that one also develops their own taste buds early on too...? I stand by that Texans/Southerners can spend years in the northeast and/or on the west coast and NEVER EVER get over a basic -- even if latent -- craving for "country/comfort food."

I have personally witnessed kinfolk who have lived years out of the state come back to a reunion or whatever -- after 20 years or more -- and gobble up fried okra and black-eyed peas like there was no tomorow! They would also start saying Y'all" once they were back home and with family. Decades of being away made no difference...they came naturally home to both home-cookin and the notes of Southern American English.

Here in Texas/South some foods are comfort foods.

"Y'all"? It is a comfort word.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

I am still waiting on my HUG, Miss Cathy! LOL

But yep, you are right...and I hope I expressed it clear too when I started this whole damn thing! LOL

I was really curious as to if native Texans who live in truly large cities (like the niece I mentioned in the op) who had grown up saying y'all do, over time, adopt the idiom of non-Texas/Southern migrants just by default of sheer numbers! LOL Like the neice I mentioed as example. She sure didn't grow up saying "you guys", and neither did her husband (a West Texas native), but their years of going from one large city to the next (DFW and now Austin) has definitely affected the accent and idiom to some degree.

*both grinning and reflecting* But that works in an opposite direction as well, I think. And you say that too! That is, ones "natural accent and slang" will come back pretty quick when exposed back to it for even a short period of time.

My own kids. They were born and lived in Texas for quite a while and when their mother and I divorced, she took them back up to her native state of Kansas (violating a custody decree, but that is another story).

The clash of "y'all/you guys" when mine entered grade school up there is a funny one in itself (the South won initially), but over the years THEY came to say "you guys" as, over time, childhood and years gave way to truly growing up in the North. A natural linguistic adoption, I guess.

BUT? As you allude to, Cathy, with your own experience? When they come down to visit me? It doesn't take much time until they start saying "y'all" again! And naturally saying it. Even though they have not lived in Texas for many years, get them around kin and old friends and "y'all" is used natural as a sunrise.

That is not a point of braggin on my own kids, but just that linguistic science backs up that one develops their speech patterns fairly early in life. And it doesn't go away no matter how long the time away.

Also, I MIGHT venture to say that culinary science --- just might, maybe, perhaps? -- backs up that one also develops their own taste buds early on too...? I stand by that Texans/Southerners can spend years in the northeast and/or on the west coast and NEVER EVER get over a basic -- even if latent -- craving for "country/comfort food."

I have personally witnessed kinfolk who have lived years out of the state come back to a reunion or whatever -- after 20 years or more -- and gobble up fried okra and black-eyed peas like there was no tomorow! They would also start saying Y'all" once they were back home and with family. Decades of being away made no difference...they came naturally home to both home-cookin and the notes of Southern American English.

Here in Texas/South some foods are comfort foods.

"Y'all"? It is a comfort word.

Here's your hug, TR... (((((TexasReb)))))

I know exactly what you mean on both the linguistic and culinary sides, LOL!!!

Y'all is common here in South Central NM...probably because there are so many native Texans here--and in nearby Ruidoso!

I can handle "y'all, "you all" and "you guys" just fine. BUT........there is one poster who always writes "youze."

Is he being funny or do people really say that...and where?!? Youze, youse, etc. That just GRATES, and I will NOT say that.

When people I'm close to come home to West Texas after having been away for a long time, it's...yep...you guessed it......cabrito, BBQ beef and all the trimmings, LOL!! Ditto great Tex-Mex and chicken fried steak!

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I can handle "y'all, "you all" and "you guys" just fine. BUT........there is one poster who always writes "youze."

Is he being funny or do people really say that...and where?!? Youze, youse, etc. That just GRATES, and I will NOT say that.

Youze is said quite often where I grew up...about 70 miles SE of Pittsburgh, PA. I broke myself of that habit when I went off to college in the big city of Pittsburgh! My college classmates would laugh at me when I said that. Then I picked up "you guys" and "yinz/younz" from all of them!! I still say you guys, but I think I broke myself from saying yinz/younz.