Hi Jim and yous all:
I have run across this and similar usages in Southern Scotland. IN the
Borders, "yous" is quite common. You can also hear it in Dumfreiesshire and
Galloway. IN Teviotdale and the Merse the usage "yEs" is perhaps more
common. It is my understanding that both of these are used in Ulster as
well. In America, "yous" is found in New Jersey, perhaPs brought there by
Scottish immigrants, many of whom settled in the region.
AS a native of Texas, I am quite familiar with the advantages of a distinct
2nd person plural. The advantage of "yall" over "yous," I suppose, is found
in the possessive form, quite common, which is "y'all's."
I guess this is a digression far afield from medieval religion, but I am
curious if any one has run across other variants on this theme.
At 10:20 AM 02/08/2000 +0100, you wrote:
>>Just a quick comment on this third person plural
>>thing.
>>I grew up in Cumbria where it was common usage to
>>address a group as "yous", for example when asking the
>>health of more than one person, one could ask "how are
>>yous?".
>>
>>Has anyone else ever come across this of is it
>>restricted to us (English) northerners.
>>
>
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