Date: Sun, 22 Jan 1995 10:45:36 -0800

From: Scott Schwenter schwen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CSLI.STANFORD.EDU

Subject: Re: 2nd pl.



I'm dying to know what

happens to these forms, (y'all, youse, you guys) in the possessive.



Y'all's doesn't sound too bad to me, but youse's offends the

ear and I'm not that crazy about you guys's either. I think I would

know if I had heard these forms before, but maybe there's something

crucial I'm missing...



Claudio R. Salvucci

csalvucci[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]delphi.com



It seems to me that the possessive for you guys is doubly (or triply?)

marked: your guys's [gaizez]. Not marking possession on you sounds very

strange to my ear. The only 2pl. form I ever use and the one I considered

"standard" growing up in Michigan was you guys. My sisters used it all the

time to refer to their groups of all-female friends.



Scott Schwenter