Date:  Fri, 20 Oct 1995 13:17:57 MST

From:  Tom Uharriet <UTOM[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ADMN.712.NEBO.EDU>

Subject: Re: y'all are crazy



> in lotsa languages (and so many unrelated ones that this seems not

> to be an entirely arbitrary association), the plural form implies

> politeness--couldn't this be what is going on? seems to go with what

> was said about salesmen and friendly people using it, but not the

> police officer who's caught you doing something naughty.

>

> lynne



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