The Daily Peeve / Rant

[KayLR]

I'm with you, Iris, on the talkers....particularly loud talkers. There's a lady in my circle of acquaintances who is quite loud and is always heard above everyone else, even to the point of distraction. You can't keep track of the conversation you're having with someone else in the room. She laughs it off, making the excuse, "Oh that's my teacher voice!"

Anyway, I came here to rant/complain about the frequency or ubiquity, it seems, of people addressing their audience as "y'all." Now, if they are from Texas or somewhere that y'all is in their lexicon, that's fine.....but this is creeping up into everywhere--mostly by "influencers," (who are not from TX or the South) whom I also have a distaste for. TV restaurant critics, announcers, etc. Just come on! Why?

There. I feel better.

[iris lilies]

Oh oh oh! I LOVE “ya’ll” because it is soft and southern/Western. I picked it up when I lived in the southwest decades ago. It seems so friendly to me.

it is so much better than my native Midwestern “you guys” and is gender neutral to boot, an added advantage.

I will defend “ya’ll” until I die! Haha.

[frugal-one]

Better than being called “mama” here in the south! But, y’all sounds like a hillbilly too…. someone with little education.

[iris lilies]

Better than being called “mama” here in the south! But, y’all sounds like a hillbilly too…. someone with little education.

“Mama” has made its way up to lower midwest.

Isn’t that Hispanic influence?

[rosarugosa]

I too find y'all to be off-putting, although I guess I'm lucky to have very limited exposure to "influencers."

[early morning]

Well, I kinda like all y'all, whatever polite language you use. (all y'all is plural of y'all, for those who think y'all is plural, lol!!) We're not too far from the southern border here (aka the Ohio Ocean, which separates us from KY, which to us is very South indeed) and y'all is common. I have to admit adopting it when teaching mostly inner city kids. You guys was rather off-putting for my students; using y'all was better, as a teacher, than "bro", which my kids thought I should be saying. Using y'all with no hint of a southern accent made us all laugh, and laughter is often the first step of getting kids to listen to you. So - use what you want and defend it well! And maybe know why you're using it. I don't use it much these days, but do unconsciously use it when I'm with people who do so routinely. This often unawareness I have of quickly adopting language patterns of those around me is something I really try to watch for. I've always done this and I really don't like that about myself. It feels - patronizing? somehow, and that is never my intent.

[pinkytoe]

It seems y'all is moving into our vocabulary in many places. I grew up with it along with yes ma'am and no sir which I kind of miss. The one I am having issue with is "hey" but that's a generational thing I guess.

[catherine]

I use y'all in written stuff sometimes--as "y'all" might have noticed

I never use it in speech. I'm still a "you guys" person--although maybe that's politically incorrect now, in which case, "y'all" might have found a niche in the DEI world.

And I even really like "all y'all". But again, I'd be a poseur Southerner if I said it out loud.

[Alan]

I grew up using the word and still do on occasion. I think y'all should use it if y'aint already.

[happystuff]

Rant - my grocery store has decided to move things around. It's been going on for at least 3 weeks now and my weekly shopping trips have been very frustrating! They are STILL in process of completing the changes! Couldn't find some things so just didn't buy them. (Just got back from this week's trip and I'm grumpy - sorry. )