SOUTHERN LINGUISTICS LESSON
There’s regional variation of this, but it’s not stictly true to say it’s the “plural.”
Linguistically “all y'all” acts as either A) a proximal case, 2) an emphatic case, or C) a zero plural pronoun that has been pluralized due to multiple categories of the pronoun object (which I cannot think of the proper name for and it’s killing me)
A) Proximal case of “y'all”: the phrase “all y'all” is referring to a specific indicated population within a larger group.
Ex: “Y'all (indicating group 1) head to the store while all y'all (indicating group 2) stay put.”
B) Emphatic case of y'all: arguably the most common use. In Texas, we say this form as “all-a-y'all.” Emphasizes the phrase to draw attention to the pronoun, requires multiple objects.
Ex: “All-a-y'all can go to hell; I’m going to Texas.”
C) Pluralized zero plural pronoun at least that’s what I’m calling it until somebody DMs me the real term. A very common use of “all y'all.” This is similar to the fish vs. fishes plural difference - y'all is a zero plural, meaning it’s the same word singular and plural. Most southerners refer to both a single person and group as “y'all [think French “vous” or Spanish “usted” minus the formality] despite the original conjunction. However, if there’s multiple categories of people and you’re addressing all of them together after addressing them separately, “all y'all” is an adaption of the zero plural that encompasses every group involved.
Ex: “Bulldogs, I know y'all hate Auburn. Longhorns, I know you think the Aggies are podunk hicks. But listen here…all y'all gotta band together and join me in taking down the real enemy: the fuckin Crimson Tide.”
