Date:  Sat, 21 Oct 1995 15:06:28 -0400

From:  "Christopher R. Coolidge" <ccoolidg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MOOSE.UVM.EDU>

Subject: Re: y'all, singular usage?



 From my travels and experience, it would seem the difference between

"y'all" and "you" is informal vs. formal, an invitation or request vs. a

direct order. "Would you step out of the car, please" is a direct order;

if the officer used "y'all" in this situation, the driver in question would

take his sweet time getting out of the car, if indeed he bothered to at all.