Date: Fri, 20 Oct 1995 18:15:11 -0400

From: Bob Haas rahaas[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HAMLET.UNCG.EDU

Subject: Re: y'all are crazy



On Fri, 20 Oct 1995, Tom Uharriet wrote:



I don't know about Lynne's South African usages. From what I have

heard around here, polite plural forms are in the first person. The

element of politeness is in the inclusion of self--which makes it

plural. Hence, "we" cannot say that y'all fits this pattern.



Tom,



Both German and French "polite" plurals are definitely second person, "Sie"

and "vous". Someone please correct me if I'm wrong; high school French was a

while back.



Bob Haas

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

rahaas[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]hamlet.uncg.edu