Aussies have come under fire on Twitter for masquerading as Americans by using the term "y'all".
I've noticed a recent trend for Australian social media users to adopt the American informal second-person plural pronoun "y'all". Come on, Australia, we can do better. The correct term is "youse".
Why do so many Australians say y’all on twitter. Understand the limits of your accent and say youse.
And for a nation of people who are usually so indignant at holding onto our own ~colourful~ turn of phrase, it seems Aussies are all too eager to shuck off "youse" for good.
@al_yaseera I'm Australian but I say y'all because it's just more fun than youse. I particularly like "all y'all " because grammar, who needs it right?
Some pointed out that "y'all" was actually the more appropriate choice because of it's gender-neutral contraction.
@devereuxxo I’ve found myself using y’all more often as it’s gender neutral. I’d never use youse though.
While others argued that "youse" wasn't strictly referring to "you guys" only — but was a legitimate colloquialism born from the working class accent.
@GrimKim Btw, I support youse and yinz because it's legitimizing working class colloquialisms as an educated and woke way to address someone. I remember folx laughing at people for talking like that. It's often very classist to make fun of working class accents
@unhaunting in Australia it's "youse" pronounced like "use". Like "y'all" it's frowned upon for shitty classist reasons but I like it.
Some suggested that "youse" actually took more effort to say — and given Australians' penchant for abbreviating every word over two syllables, the move to "y'all" was kind of patriotic.
like I grew up saying youse it's not like it's wrong in my mouth or anything but seriously yall is just easier and faster to say and again, I am lazy what could be more Australian than not giving a fuck
While others questioned whether it was appropriate to use "y'all" at all, given its AAVE origins (African American Vernacular English).
i seem to use “y’all” a lot but its AAVE right? is this okay for me to use ?? can anyone shed some light on this?? HELP
And of course, there were those Australians steadfast in their love for "youse" — who rallied others to abolish "y'all" from local vernacular.
If you see an Australian saying y’all, feel free to correct their poor grammar with a friendly reminder that it’s youse, dickhead.