Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:35 PM

I once had a Texan, jokingly, tell me that proper usage was yo', y'all, and all yo' all. Later she referred to me as y'all (but she was including my wife, who wasn't there- "Y'all come").
Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:
you-all- "usu. used in addressing two or more persons or sometimes one person as representing also another or others."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: Highlandman
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:32 PM

PoppaGator, from my observations I'd say it depends on the locale. I've heard it used as you say, but here in the upstate of SC "y'all" seems to be almost never used for a single person. But that's being real picky, and in general terms I don't think the song lyrics would raise anybody's eyebrows.
-HM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:31 PM

http://www.doesthisblogmakemybuttlookbig.com/2004/03/yall_singular_o.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7478/plr-yall.htm

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/kinkyfried146074.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: Wesley S
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:30 PM

Yes - Y'all can be singular OR plural. Another acceptable plural version of y'all is "all y'all". I'm not kidding. It's considered proper usage here in Texas.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:29 PM

Oh good.

Now, does anybody know what the real words are where I have "tum tee tee"? It seems to me there was a nice internal rhyme there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:23 PM

Lots of people say "y'all" when referring to a single individual.

In general, these are not people who much care about grammatical precision in their speech. It is undoubtedly "incorrect" in some technical sense, granted, but then any context in which "y'all" is used at all is emphatically informal and cooloquial, to say the least, and this usage is fairly widespread.

In other words, this is not something the songwriter came up with on his own, and it is certainly not something that would seem incongruous in the folk culture being portrayed. It's quite natural and usual to address an individual as "y'all."

Subject: Lyr Req: grammatically correct use of ' y'all'?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Jul 05 - 01:17 PM

I was finishing up a rowboat ride with some friends, and I had occasion to ask "Is that your hat?"

This brought to mind a song I heard once, "The Long, Tall Texan." The version I remember differs some from what I find on the Net. The last verse goes:

Oh, I'm a long, tall Texan, and I enforce the law.
(He rides through Texas to enforce the law.)
repeat
People tum-tee-tee and they say to me
"Hoo-ray, hoo-rah, are y'all the law?"

My question is, is this use of y'all to refer to one person authentic? I have seen plural forms (ye, Sie) indicate formal address at times. Is that what's going on here, or did the composer just find it more fun to sing "y'all"?