South, Informal you (sense ): used chiefly as a plural form
you-all
you-allWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"you-all." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all>.
APA Style
you-all. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all
you-all
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"you-all." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all>.
APA Style
you-all. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all
Pronoun
- Alternative spelling of you all.
Pronoun
Usage notes
In US South usage, you all or y'all is used to address either more than one person, or one person whom the speaker does not know personally or well, or who is much older or as a sign of respect for the person's position or seniority. You all or y'all may also be used even for a single person the speaker knows well, but in a formal environment such as a classroom or when asking a question at a public meeting. This usage is very much like that of the French vous, and similar to the German Sie.
Many US Southerners will deny that you all or y'all is ever properly used in the singular, but rather it appears to be used that way occasionally when there is an "implied" plural you (a "corporate" you, a "team" you, or "you and your family", "you and your friends" (who aren't here right now), "you and your party", etc.).
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"you-all." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 October 2018. <http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all>.
APA Style
you-all. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13th, 2018, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/you-all
