To whomever: you would have to prove to me that anybody ever pronounced "was" as "wahs." Same with "says." The opinion of one college perfessor does not constitute proof.


Guest, the construction "y'all's" is new to me, too. I believe it's a first. What do Southerners say?

Where I live, the possessive of y'all seems to be "yer guys's." It is not used in publications.
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Meanwhile, I have run the song about the Texan through my folk processor, and I have composed a line with the internal rhyme that I crave:

Oh, I'm a long, tall Texan, and I enforce the law.
(He rides through Texas to enforce the law.)
repeat first two lines
People on their way turn to me and say,
"Hoo-ray, hoo-rah, are y'all the law?"

The main purpose of this verse is to have fun with the r in "enforce." When you hear it, you know that the law is really enforced wherever this guy is.

I went to an ecumenical church service recently, and one minister started his talk by saying, "The first thing I'm going to talk about is my accent. It's a Texas accent. You cen't do it, so don't trah." He was right; his speech was a fascinating combination of Southern and crystal. (Don't ask me to explain that; ears never explain.)