Hey Y'all: A commentary on the infamous Southern colloquialism

I have just returned from two breathless weeks in Nashville, TN where I attended the Annie Moses Band's Fine Arts Summer Academy. (If you have not heard of FASA, I highly recommend you check it out. You will be challenged artistically, uplifted spiritually, and inspired through relationships to hone your gifts for God's ultimate glory! More information can be found here.)

While I was there, I was asked what the biggest difference was between Tennessee and California. Aside from the humidity, I was intrigued with nearly everyone's use of the word "y'all", and even more so with how much I enjoyed hearing it. While the term struck me in my younger years as being an odd and inconsiderate shortening of "typical" speech, I now feel that "y'all" is an admirable solution to a modern linguistic problem.

Let me explain.

I learned in one of my Latin classes that while many languages have a separate set of endings to distinguish the second person singular (you) form from the second person plural (y'all) form, modern English does not. A few centuries ago, "thou" served the purpose of specifying a singular entity, but it is needless to say that this phrase has dissolved from common speech, leaving "you" to work double duty for both tenses. "You" can posses an abstract quality when speaking to a group. It also leads to the slightly odd use of casual phrases like "you guys", which technically doesn't work in mixed company. "Y'all", on the other hand, graciously solves the problem. It is succinct, practical, and because of its unique tonal quality feels much more personal and warm somehow. The word just makes so much sense.

Here is an excerpt I found on the history of this little word:

Linguist Michael Montgomery claims that "y'all" goes back to the Scots-Irish phrase "ye aw," and he offers as evidence a letter written in 1737 by an Irish immigrant in New York to a friend back home: "Now I beg of ye aw to come over here." As I understand Montgomery's hypothesis, "ye aw" was Americanized into "y'all," which is indeed a contraction of "you all" but would not have come into being without the influence of the Scots-Irish phrase.

I know this is an odd thing to discuss so intensely, but the simple truth is that I love language. As human beings we were created for relationships, and this is why I find it fascinating to ponder the subtleties that shape our communications, as conversation is one of the primary ways of cultivating interconnectedness and mutual understanding. Y'all tickled my fancy, and I wanted to find out more.

Well, that's about all I have to say. To my new friends in Tennessee, enjoy the lush greenery. Things are dry and dreary here in California right now. Oh, and one more thing. Y'all take care!