The Plurality and Singleness of You, Everyone, Y'All, and All Y'All

 Episode 108 of I Hate Talking explores the Southern phrase “y’all” and its more emphatic cousin “all y’all,” comparing how each one can shape tone, clarity, and group address. The hosts also dig into the older pronouns “you,” “ye,” “thee,” and “thou,” using a Bible passage and a simple Venn-diagram-style breakdown to show how English can shift between singular and plural forms.

The conversation moves between language, culture, and personality, touching on regional speech patterns, the way people adapt their vocabulary to the communities around them, and how even a familiar word like “everyone” can function as an inclusive, listener-focused greeting. By the end, the episode becomes a playful but thoughtful look at how English pronouns work, who they address, and why context matters so much in everyday speech.

Keywords: y’all, all y’all, pronouns, singular and plural you, thou, thee, ye, regional speech, Southern dialect, Pennsylvania Dutch, Bible language, group address, inclusive language, imperative statements, English pronouns, I Hate Talking podcast, episode 108.

Transcript

I Hate Talking: 0:29

Welcome to episode 108 of I Hate Talking. Hi everyone. I said everyone. I think I always say everyone intro. It would have been clever if you had said hello y'all. Oh we can restart. Well, it's already recorded. It's in the, in the history books now. -- There's nothing called -- editing. Nothing called editing. If you haven't guessed it, y'all is our word or phrase of the upset. -- All -- right. And then there's also other variations of a group of people like all y'all, -- all -- y'all, yeah, use. OK, yeah, I've heard that. I don't think I've ever said it. You guys, hey guys. I think that counts. That doesn't count. Uh, what is it, what did you say? Guys, guys. Yeah, but that's like not necessarily an inclusive term. Yeah, it is. What if there's girls? Oh no, it definitely counts as girls too. I see. Maybe on the west coast. Yeah, I think so. So. I guess you can give some history on your experience with y'all and all y'all. It's obviously something I've heard for a very long time, but not. Culturally, where I grew up, so growing up it was guys or dudes. Gang, hey gang, hey guys, and stuff like that. So yeah, boys, girls, it didn't matter. Um, I just met more than one person and then somehow when we moved south. We heard it a lot, and at some point, it just got part of my vocabulary. And I don't even think I realized how much of my vocabulary was till I moved north. I say y'all occasionally, maybe, but I say all y'all a lot, and the difference between the two is y'all, it's just like a group of people, but all y'all, all of you, like a larger group of people. Yeah, it's a little bit more emphatic, I think. Y'all can be like the group of people, but if you want to really make sure that you're talking about everyone, and you're stating that you're talking about everyone, it's all y'all. Yeah, so I think as an example, say we're talking to our neighbors, I say, y'all wanna come over to play some cornhole, or I could say, all y'all want to come over, like, so there's different. Y'all, meaning that neighbor next to us, or all y'all means like the whole neighborhood. We're gonna invite multiple houses. Yes, I suppose so. I also heard all y'all be maybe a little bit more disciplinary in emphasis, like you would be more friendly with y'all and then if you're saying all y'all, it's more like you need to do something or you need to shape up. You don't think so? No, I don't know. I'm trying to think of when that would happen. I don't think I have that same connotation to it. Like if there's a whole bunch of people that maybe have camped and there's a variety of trash on the ground, you could say y'all need to clean up, or you could be a little bit more emphatic with it and say, all y'all need to clean up. OK, yeah, I see what you're saying. Um, part of its tone maybe, but also all y'all, that means everyone needs to clean up. You can't just be like, uh, I didn't make that mess. I'm not gonna clean up. So if y'all are clean, y'all need to clean up. Someone else is gonna clean up, but all y'all means you all, every, everyone has to clean up, not just assume other, other people are gonna do it. That's true. So how would you say it in standard English? Would you just say everyone needs to clean up? Well, I wonder what standard is. Cause maybe standard is all y'all, so, or you guys, or dudes, or would you say you. Well, there's Pennsylvania Dutch where it would be you. As sort of like the singular person, you as the smaller group of people, and yous as like everybody. OK. So I'm just saying that what's, when you're saying standard English, they get really, I don't know if there's a standard. Well, I'm just meaning like without any particular contractions. You would just say you all, -- or would you -- say everyone? All of you, all of you, all of you children must clean up. All of you neighbors are invited. All the neighbors are invited to cornhole. Yeah, but it needs to be directed at them, so it'd be all of you neighbors. All neighbors, you come over here. I don't know. Well, maybe the South got it right then. It's just easier to use y'all and all y'all, yeah. So what would you say that or what do you think sounds more standard? Well, you could just go back to archaic English and use the vowels and y. So all ye y'all, ye is already plural ye. But y'all's plural too. Yes, but I'm just saying thou is singular. Like you. Well, you in the English can be plural or singular. Really? I think so, right? That's why thou and ye is better distinguished. When is you plural? Well, there's the Bible verse that all the King James people cite that gives a very clear distinction. Let me look it up now, since you have a puzzled look on your face, and now I can prove to you that King James is better. OK. Oh, this particular verse uses thee as a singular, but same applies for thou, and then ye being the plural. So, and Jesus is talking to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, and which did you want me to read first, ESV or KJV? KJV KJV marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. OK. Whereas the English Standard Version says, do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. That's how I related it when you said that. I translated it in my head to that. So why is that? Why is it different words? Why does it matter? Well, Jesus is, I guess, quoting himself, we don't necessarily have this, I guess, recorded that he has said this before, but he's talking to Nicodemus, marvel not that I said unto thee, Nicodemus, but he's in a larger group of people that are listening to him. And maybe he had said this previously, y as in y'all must be born again. Yeah, but wait, I forgot which one I'm arguing. I did I say you is plural or not plural? You're, I think, maintaining that you is singular. And exclusively singular. Hm OK. All right, if that's my stance. Then I can see it's confusing. But yeah, but it's still personalized. You must be born again. Not like the whole group. -- You guys are doing this -- together. You have a false understanding of scripture because of poor English translations or transliterations, as some people say. What Jesus is addressing Nicodemus specifically, but he's applying the truth to the crowd. Yeah, but I'm saying that each person has to do this. It's not a group effort. Yeah, but he's not talking just to Nicodemus. Right, I get that, but I'm saying, so you're arguing for individual responsibility, yeah. I see, yes. Well, I think I've seen people misinterpret that particular scripture where they're saying that this exact message is for Nicodemus alone. Everyone has to be saved. So the whole message of Nicodemus is only to him, not to the whole like all people. If you read you in modern English translations and only think that you is singular, yes. -- That's how you would have to read -- that. Now, first, I don't think of it that way, so I do not have an improper view, but secondary. I think you can say it to a crowd and everyone individualizes it. Yes. Which is I think what he was doing. This isn't like that everybody contributes a little bit. This is a you and God only thing. But everyone needs to have that vertical relationship with God. Well, there you go. So, My point was that you. As a standalone word is not very specific. It can mean One person or multiple people. And therefore I'm just saying that the thou versus ye or you versus y'all or all y'all is probably actually a better. Categorization of. The audience to which you're speaking. I don't know. See, I think, OK, I guess maybe I'm backtracking if I'm saying that. He was always singular. From earlier, because think about when you're talking to a choir. And or like a band that's practicing. You're like, hey, you did a great job. You're talking to them, but you're also saying each one did a good job? I'm not saying like drummer, you did a good job. I'm saying as the whole, or as you're talking to the team, I guess, putting it back to what Jesus said, instead of congratulating them, being like, You need to be there at 8 o'clock. And I'm talking to the group. That means each one of them must be there at 8 o'clock. So I think it's a given that I'm talking to the whole. But it's each person must do this. Does that make sense? Yeah. Or maybe they thought you're only talking to one person and they misunderstood the instruction and then they got there at 9 a.m. because they thought you were just talking to one person, -- which -- is why all of y'all makes more sense. That's true. Because then they would know that I was talking to each one of them individually. As a whole. Precisely. So according to our favorite American Heritage dictionary, There are 3 definitions of you. And number one is used to refer to the one or ones being addressed. So their example sentences are, I'll lend you the book or you shouldn't work so hard. And then it also refers to y'all and yous. So there's cross definitions to those, maybe we'll take a look at those. Number 22, used to refer to an indefinitely specified person. You can't win them all. Though I feel like that is sort of still directed to a person that you're talking to. And then 3 is a non-standard used reflexively as an indirect object of the verb. You might want to get another pair of shoes. And it comes from the Middle English, from the Old English. And there's a whole bunch, but There's G, y, you, and you. You with a G. No, you you. And then the cross reference to y'all is a chiefly southern US pronoun, which is a variant of you all, and then cross links to that. And then You all is used in addressing two or more people or referring to two or more people, one of whom is addressed. Hm And then Us, upper southern US. I thought this was. Pennsylvania Dutch, maybe not. Basically the same thing, use in addressing two or more people. Well, upper southern, I guess, right? Isn't technically. Like Gettysburg and stuff like that, like where the line is. Mason-Dixie line or whatnot. I guess so. Maybe the American Heritage Dictionary is a little bit biased towards the South. Yeah. So now I'm searching if there's a word list for Pennsylvania Dutch for you all. Let's see if we can find it. No, it's not apparently in here. We'll go to the wise. Not finding it interesting. What are you looking like you're looking in the American heritage. No, I just use duck go and search PA Dutch -- for you -- all. We're not gonna have a good luck with that because Pennsylvania Dutch wouldn't have the internet, right? Maybe. Just kidding. But Amish aren't supposed to have the internet. Well, I thought they were allowed to have it in their little call booth. I don't know. I think it depends on what sex they're part of, right? I suppose so. So, there you go. Perhaps some more questions than answers, but at least we have defined. You, y'all, all y'all. Yz The, thee, thou, lots of different particular descriptive articles -- or pronouns -- all for the same thing. No, they're not for the same thing, they're for different things, singular versus plural, I guess. They can all be singular and sometimes plural. Look at the letter Y. No, E is not ever singular. I don't think that y'all or all y'all would be singular either. That's always a group of people, 2 or more. Mm Yes. You guess, this is patently true. Ye y'all, all y'all yous. All greater than one. 2 or greater. You can't say to like one person, y'all, you would just say you. Yes. I don't know. I think I don't have a problem with it. I think I would understand what they were getting at. But you're right, like, typically you wouldn't say it. I don't know. I don't think I would ever say it. I don't think I would ever use ye y'all or all y'all. OK, so sometimes plural, sometimes it's singular, and sometimes it's no. I'm maintaining that You, y'all, and all y'all are always plural. Wait, say that again? You, y'all, and all y'all are always plural. Y'all, y'all is always plural, -- multiple what -- you're saying, multiple people, -- 2 or -- more, I don't know. Well, that's what the American Heritage Dictionary says, so you're gonna argue with that, maybe. Or not. I'm not in a fighting mood, so it's OK. I'll let them say it. And then what's singular always? I don't think there is a singular or always that we use in modern English. The only thing that I'm aware of would be thee and thou. That is one specific person. OK, so thee and thou is always singular. Correct. OK And the rest of them can sway either way. We have to use our best judgment. No, what? -- What -- are you saying? I'm saying ye, y'all, and all y'all are always plural. -- I need -- like a whiteboard. You need your Venn diagram. Yes, can you make me one? So ye, but no. I don't need a Venn diagram cause you're saying some of them aren't either one. So I said then the rest of them could be singular or plural, and then you said no. No, that I'm saying that some of them are exclusively plural. The archaic ones are exclusively singular, and then. By itself, you could go either way, and then you would have to infer that by context. So you would make a circle with you. Just YO you in the middle. Yes, and I can infer that you're talking about just me and not me and the audience. From the way that you said that I would do this. And then you would Make a circle on the side, cutting into that, that would have thee and thou. The end that would be on the. Crescent shape. -- Do I actually need to draw the picture and -- then on the other maybe and then on the other side would be. All y'all Y'all and Another one. It's not even that late. Why is my brain not working well? So we have a full circle on the left and a full circle on the right, and they overlap. So on the left is the Singular With thee and thou you just fixed it. You did it. Oh man, what a cheater. I did fix it. -- I had mistakenly written ye in the left side ye -- in both circles. Now I fix it. For you to talk, stop talking so I could say something about that. OK, so we have less circle. Thee and thou singular on the right side, exclusively plural, ye y'all and all y'all, and then in the middle overlapping that can be either singular or plural is you, OK. Now it makes sense. Yeah, I can see that. If those are the only words we're talking about, I thought there were more words connected that we were discussing. Well, there was units in there, but I think we tabled that one cause maybe I was incorrect about that being Pennsylvania Dutch and it's Upper Southern, whatever that is. So there you go. Well, I'll have to draw a better copy of the Venn diagram, and then we can post that in the show notes. I'll post my original scribble. There you go. Or we can just have AI clean that up. The AI is not good at words and pictures. No, it's not. It's good at pictures or it's Less good at words Yeah, the words often, yeah, the words often look like a different language. All scribbly indeed. I, uh, for Christmas last year, made my nieces and nephews, uh, Christmas ornaments. And I used AI. To help me, and it wasn't until, like, wrapping them or, you know, like I was too far in that I realized that they misspelled one of their names, and I know I didn't do it, like, I spelled the name correctly, cause the other thing, cause it was double sided, so the one side was spelled correct, and then I added a picture to the other side. And then they changed the lettering. I just had to apologize. Indeed. So I guess before we wrap up the episode, we have to address one other word that we use every episode, and that is everyone. So is everyone, everyone? Oh. Yeah, I think so, yeah, you're right, cuz I. And we probably say that a lot. I know I always say it, it just ended up being. I said in the beginning, hi everyone. But I think everyone has to be everyone. Anybody within earshot of listening. So you're not greeting the entire world. You're just greeting anyone that's listening. I think so. And within earshot, so they could be like somebody's listening to this on a speaker and somebody happens to overhear it. You're you're greeting that person too. I'm saying hi to them too. I'm not saying hi to like the like no one listening. The nether, I think you mean the ether. Wait, another like ether, yeah, maybe. I think I'm in another portal. I suppose so. So the ether, yeah, so it's not just like into the. Great Dark blackness. I'm saying hi to people who can hear me. Or read it. If you can't, if you aren't hearing it, maybe you're reading the transcript. That's true, yeah, you're greeting people that are not listening, perhaps they're reading. That's very inclusive of you. Do you think you're saying, when you say everyone? I don't know if I use that specifically. To address people that we're talking to on the podcast. I say you, our listeners. It's like an inclusive group of people, so not the person that's overhearing this because they are not a listener, they're not engaged and taking part in. This shared experience. I think I'm really tired. Say that again. What? So you're not saying hi to. People listening. Yeah, you must be tired. I'm talking about the people that are overhearing the podcast on people that are actually listening to it on speaker. OK, so you only are talking, addressing people that are intentionally listening? Yes, the listeners. Hm But what if someone overhears and then they're like, hey, I wanna be part of the group too. Then they can become a listener and then all my previous greetings will apply to them. They have to subscribe first or something. -- Like and subscribe and -- then and then you'll address them. Yes. OK. I'm trying to remember back, I don't know if I really specifically address people on the podcast as an all-inclusive group. It's always you, our listeners, or let us know, yeah, like, you'll be like, let us know. I'm sure this is not like exclusively true. I'm sure there's a possibility that I've said everyone or Something of that nature, but The majority of the time I will refer to the people listening as You are a listener, and I even say you, and I think I sort of mean like the individual you in that. Like I'm talking to that listener, not like you are listeners as a whole, but you are a listener. But isn't it maybe even cause usually you are talking. As a directive Like you Like and subscribe or you message us or whatnot, like it's, it's an imperative. Yeah, there you go. And not a friendly greeting. Well, that's probably a difference between you and me. You're the friendly greeter and I am not. There you go, maybe that is the difference. Yeah, I mean, even our closing, I'm telling them an imperative statement. Yeah Interesting. I think that's very, yeah, very personality driven then I suppose so that I wanna engage in relational. Interactions where you're more uh structured or Work oriented Task oriented, task oriented. Yes, I'm so sorry. Why is my brain is so slow tonight. So all those tasks include liking, subscribing, sharing. And remembering I'm bad at that one, especially tonight. I suppose so. So we'll close with that imperative statement that we have now since concluded is an imperative statement. So, you, our listener must remember, because from your friends at I hate talking, until next time, remember, it is only through talking that we begin the journey to understanding.