youse
English
[edit]Etymology 1
[edit]Pronoun
[edit]youse
- Alternative form of yous
Usage notes
[edit]- Both yourselves and youseselves are found as reflexive forms:
- 1903, William Lincoln Balch, A True Lover's Knot: A Comedietta for Vaudeville Team:
- "How's dis fer a bloomin' goil of de gutter, hey? Make youseselves acquainted, loidies an' gents, wit' […] "
- 2006, Ridgwell Cullum, The Forfeit, Library of Alexandria, →ISBN:
- Same as youse fellers have helped yourselves out o' this bottle.
- Both your and youse's are found as possessive forms:
- 1901, Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, a Popular Journal of General Literature, page 34:
- "Went away quick, now, or I'll come out dere an' bite off wan o' youse's fins."
- 2004, Stephen J. Cannell, Hollywood Tough, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 152:
- "Mr. Valentine wants that youse keep that as his gift, and would very much like the pleasure of youse's company—no strings."
- 2019, August Nemo, Francis Stevens, Essential Novelists - Francis Stevens: The Woman who Invented Dark Fantasy, Tacet Books, →ISBN:
- “I've brought youse your scoffin's,” he said. “Gee! Youse was a sight when youse fell out of diat hole. His nibs is waitin' to see youse.”
Determiner
[edit]youse
- Alternative form of yous
- Have youse gentlemen finished talking?
Etymology 2
[edit]Contraction
[edit]youse
- Alternative form of you'se
Usage notes
[edit]- The standard contraction for you is is you’s (e.g. talking to you’s always fun). In transcribing the AAVE usage of you is where standard English has you are, either you’s or youse is used. E.g, either you’s a damn fool or youse a damn fool.