On Thu, 13 May 2004 03:44:17 +0000, alexy wrote:

Greg Copeland wrote:

On Wed, 12 May 2004 21:53:53 +0000, Gary Drescher wrote:

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines y'all as "YOU--usually used in
addressing two or more persons or sometimes one person as representing also
another or others".



Exactly. So, if you stepped over to see a neighbor, and the neighbor
asked, "how y'all do'n?", he would be asking one of two things. He is
wanting to know how I'm doing
Not according to the definition posted above. He is clearly not
addressing two or more persons. Instead he is addressing one person as
representing also another (e.g. your wife) or others (e.g, your
family). So he might be asking how you and your wife are doing, or how
you and your family are doing, but not how just you are doing.
or, how me and my family are doing. A
response which addresses either yourself and/or yourself and your family
is accepted. So, you can see it's being used either singularly or in the
plural (one person as presenting another or others). Your answer would
more than likely be guided by how long it had been since you last spoke
and by how much time you have to chew the fat.

Just curious -- any experience communicating in the South? I'd guess
not much.g

I've lived in the South most of my life.