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