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Malone

I thought youse was Scouse, so I was surprised you use it.

Grunger, 'Youse' is often used in the west of Scotland too. Although I feel it's a slightly inelegant word, both in looks and in sound, it's a very useful word. How else do we convey the plural of 'you'?

Malone

Yes it is useful as the plural of you, avoiding ambiguity, but a friend uses it and it sounds awful. I think I prefer thou and you to you and youse.

Grunger, thanks. I seldom (never) use the word myself, but it serves a purpose! Your 'thou', singular and 'you' plural might not work well in the real world.

"Youse" is also not uncommon in parts of the eastern US, centered on New Jersey. In the south it is "you all" of course, and that gets shortened to "y'all." I would prefer the latter; while not elegant perhaps, it is quite a bit less harsh-sounding than youse.

mathprof

Thanks for your post. Yes, I have heard "y'all" in the south and it sounds friendly and attractive. I didnt know about the use in the New Jersey area but I bet it is more pleasant than my friend's "youse" which she uses in her classroom. This cannot be right.

Grunger, MPR...

I'd considered 'Y'all' as a substitute for 'you' (plural, and confusing at times) and 'youse' (plural, but unmelodic at best, ugly at worst). The only problem was the usage I've encountered in America - 'y'all' was used even when addressing someone in the singular. I looked over my shoulder the first few times this happened to me - in coffee shops or small bookstores, say - expecting to see someone else. standing beside me. The pedant in me wasn't keen - surely 'you' is fine for one person, 'y'all' implies more than that?

Malone, indeed there is somewhat of a schism over here about whether y'all is strictly plural or not. For me, it is only plural. As you point out, there is no reason to deviate from "you" for the singular. I'm with you on this one.

malone

You would have enjoyed this in the Mail today. I didnt know they were still around.

Female domestic assistant (11)

Grunger

Is that just a straight, non-cryptic, clue? I have an answer that would fit. There was a sex/IT/SA clue in yesterday's Times Jumbo - I dashed past that one !