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