Patterico's Pontifications

4/20/2007

What Do Y’All Think of This?

Filed under: Crime,General,Humor — Patterico @ 5:59 am



I can’t help linking this story about the selection of the Phil Spector jury — mostly because I know the prosecutor, Alan Jackson, who is a fellow U.T. Austin grad. Here’s my favorite part:

A Texan, Jackson referred to jurors as “Y’all,” which [Spector attorney Bruce] Cutler dismissed as a folksy affectation, in contrast to his authentic Brooklyn swagger.

. . . .

When a juror from Corpus Christi, Texas, was excused, [Judge Larry Fidler] asked her before she left if she could vouch for Jackson’s “Y’all.” The courtroom erupted in laughter. She said the “Y’all” rang true to her.

Heh.

I remember interviewing for a summer position at a civil law firm here in L.A. in the early ’90s. I was having lunch with two attorneys, a man and a woman, both of whom treated me as though my Texan upbringing made me a museum curiosity. After asking the usual question about why I don’t have an accent, the woman asked me: “So do you say ‘y’all’?”

I opened my mouth and started to say yes, on occasion, when the man — a gruff New Yorker — interrupted to say: “Of course he doesn’t! He speaks English!”

I didn’t get an offer.

I still say “y’all,” but very occasionally. It may slip out once a year or so. It sounds as authentic to me as “youse guys” would.

Anyway, best of luck to Alan. I’ll admit a prejudice against Spector; I don’t really know much about the Clarkson case, but Spector murdered the “Let It Be” album with all that unnecessary orchestration, and I’ll never forgive him for that. Whaddya youse guys think?

47 Responses to “What Do Y’All Think of This?”

  1. I think all y’all need to learn how to talk gooder.

    Xrlq (f52b4f)

  2. Wouldn’t “if’n” or “might could” be a better test for folksiness?

    roy (d2bdef)

  3. Wasn’t there a big time defense attorney who was a Texan who wore cowboy boots and other “work casual” style Texas clothing??

    Certainly there is a place for use of “standard” American English, but there also exists snobbish cultural elitism.

    I knew someone in undergrad (Univ. of Wisconsin) who had already been accepted to his med school of choice (Wash. U. in St. Louis- highly regarded) when he had an interview out in Boston. He was asked, “Tell me, what can you bring to Hahvad” in what he took as a very arrogant tone. He replied, “Oh, my dirty socks and underwear.” Coming from a school with a recent Nobel Prize winner in Medicine and qualifications to get in pretty much anywhere he wanted to go, he was not interested in high brow.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  4. Y’allbonics?

    huey (756ff9)

  5. MD in Philly,

    Did you go to Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison?

    Leviticus (e87aad)

  6. You go with the flow–an old time civil defense trial lawyer I once worked for claimed that Melvin Belli showed up in an Imperial County courthouse (agricultural area in California for the benefit of y’all effete New Yorkers) in the 1950’s wearing bib overalls. Belli was representing somebody who’d been run over by a Southern Pacific Railroad train.

    The bib overalls were a bit of overkill even for a prominent and flashy San Francisco tort lawyer who, in his day, favored blue pinstripes with red silk linings for the suits he wore to court in San Francisco.

    I think the dog trainer is backing Spector in this trial; the “Home Section” of a day or two ago featured a big spread on Spector’s house in Alhambra–the scene of the crime/accidental death of Ms. Clarkson–and now they’ve got this long piece about jury selection. Da fix is in!

    Mike Myers (f9d35a)

  7. Y’all wonder if Spector will be axed any questions…

    Clark Baker (6a377d)

  8. Ask those New yorkers to say “youth” and see if it comes out “yute”.

    Kevin Murphy (0b2493)

  9. God help but, but I really think the orchestration on “The Long And Winding Road” is gorgeous.

    Rich Horton (8018ee)

  10. it certainly doesn’t reflect well on a big city law firm that it considered texas as an exotic, faraway locale whose natives speak this odd language. what’s the name of this firm?

    then again, you might not be a real texan, patterico, because you don’t wear a stetson, string tie and tony lama boots all the time. here’s what you need to bolster your image at work:

    a mechanical bull in your office

    this would set up a great line when someone comes in and argues with you, point at the bull and say “the bull is over there, i’m telling you like it is.”

    assistant devil's advocate (66fdef)

  11. While participating in on-campus interviews at UCLA, a friend was interviewing with a medium to large size firm. She, obviously Hispanic, was asked where she was from: San Ysidro, she responded. The interviewer visibly shuddered and said “Border towns – scary!” She did not get a second interview.

    Californio (b6ecbf)

  12. In my job as a research clerk at a big law firm’s appellate section while in law school, I would annoy the heck out of my boss for saying “defend-ANT”.

    nk (6415d7)

  13. A “gruff New Yorker,” eh?

    And they say the South is prejudiced.

    Anwyn (a130c1)

  14. It also annoys some Northerners to say “lahw-yer” instead of “loy-er.”

    Anwyn (a130c1)

  15. Y’all is a perfectly acceptable way to address 2 or more people. If I am with several other people and someone addresses my group as “you” I might ask, “To whom are you speaking?”

    TMac (0c909a)

  16. What’s this youse guys? Anyone from Pittsburgh will tell you it’s youns.

    Stu707 (5b299c)

  17. After reading the Judge’s conversation with the departing juror, I’d rather be in the Texas prosecutor’s shoes than the New York defense counsel’s.

    MD #3: Racehorse Haynes?

    DRJ (50237c)

  18. My wife is NYC-born and bred, and says “y’all” all the time, so I don’t know that it proves anything one way or the other anymore.

    As for Spector, I haven’t really forgiven him for End Of The Century yet.http://www.amazon.com/End-Century-Ramones/dp/B0000691TG

    Mike (c8cb4a)

  19. Whoops. Screwed that link up royal, y’all.

    Mike (c8cb4a)

  20. DRJ,

    My CivPro professor at U.T. was Michael Tigar, who represented Terry Nichols and some other high-profile clients. He favored large belt buckles and really played up the Texas angle. I don’t think he was a native, though.

    Patterico (3f150b)

  21. #15…. In deep South Texas the plural is often “All Y’all” and the plural possessive is “All Y’all’s”

    huey (756ff9)

  22. Y’all is perfectly good English. It’s almost always used when speaking to a group, but when I was in college in Georgia, I had a roommate for a while who said “y’all” even when addressing me alone (i.e., no one else in the room).

    Stuart Buck (d0091b)

  23. What is the difference between Northern girls and Southern girls?

    When a Northern girl is propositioned for sex, she says “Yes, you can do it.”
    When a Southern girl is proposition, she says: “Y’all can do it.”

    Perfect Sense (b6ec8c)

  24. Patterico;

    Thought you might be interested in the early
    stages of yet another emerging investigation.

    http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/04/20/criminal_referral_made_in_reading_probe/

    semanticleo (2f60f4)

  25. Re: #22- Good point. Y’all is actually a more precise term.

    Re: #17- “MD #3: Racehorse Haynes?”
    I have no idea, could be. I just have a vague memory of a fellow in a Stetson, String tie, nice boots, “down home” manner who was touted to be among the best.
    Then again, maybe I’m confusing a Barnaby Jones or Colombo episode…

    Re: #5-
    MD in Philly,
    Did you go to Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison?
    Comment by Leviticus — 4/20/2007 @ 7:12 am

    Hmmm, is the question,
    “Did I also go to the Univ. of Wisconsin as my undergrad friend did?”
    or
    “Did I go to the University of Wisconsin- Madison, as opposed to a satellite campus such as Platteville, River Falls, LaCrosse, Oshkosh (B’Gosh), Stevens Point, or Eau Claire…”

    The answer to #1 is “ON Wisconsin!!”, “Go Big Red”, “If you want to be a Badger…”, and Coach Bennett should have played Brian Butch in the NCAA’s (only individual basketball player from my high school of any note). Ahem, yes.
    The answer to #2, as this all started about regional dialect, a bit of education: When someone says they went to college at Wisconsin, or Univ. of Wisconsin, it means Madison. While some of the satellite schools are very good for some fields, none are as large or widely known as the California system, for example, where people do say “Cal” for Cal-Berkley (most people outside of Calif have to think about that, ’cause we all know it as “Berkley- the Madison of the West Coast”, you also have UCLA, UCSD, UCSF, etc.

    One last question, do you call it a:
    “water fountain”
    “bubbler”
    or something else?

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  26. Y’al is far superior to “wadda youse guys”.

    RJN (e12f22)

  27. I have found a good test of southerness to be “fixin’ to.”
    “I’m fixin’ to kicker yer butt if you confuse me with a Texan…”
    For example…

    paul from fl (ae01cb)

  28. While participating in on-campus interviews at UCLA, a friend was interviewing with a medium to large size firm. She, obviously Hispanic, was asked where she was from: San Ysidro, she responded. The interviewer visibly shuddered and said “Border towns – scary!” She did not get a second interview

    I wouldn’t have ACCEPTED a second interview…

    Scott Jacobs (a1de9d)

  29. Typical attitude of the Northeast, parts of the Midwest, and West coast. Anybody remember the Nascar video of Washington State’s attitude towards the south which aired on Fox?

    Here in TN, we get that a lot from people moving here from the north. They complain about everything, especially intelligence, to which we reply, “We’re smarter than you.” and when they give you that dumb affronted look you explain, “When we go somewhere we hate, we know how to go back the way we came. You apparently don’t know how to do that.”

    Steph (eba27f)

  30. Patterico yer durn tootin’ that Mike Tigar was no native Texan; born and bred in California; a Berkeley undergrad student where he organized some of them Comm Yoo Nists in Slate (an alernative student government party at Cal in the early 60’s) and went on to be Editor In Chief of the California Law Review, class of 66-but he weren’t no Texan. Bright guy though despite the unfortunate circumstances of his birth.

    Mike Myers (f9d35a)

  31. Patterico: I agree with Mike. I’m a native born Texan who believes anyone can be a Texan by moving in-state and having the right frame of mind. He’s an excellent lawyer but Michael Tigar is no Texan. Nevertheless, I’m sure he was an amazing CivPro professor. One of my favorites was Woodward’s classic O&G course.

    MD: I think you’re remembering Gerry Spence from Wyoming. Richard “Racehorse” Haynes is a Texas criminal defense lawyer partial to pin-striped suits and cowboy boots. My favorite Racehorse story may or may not be true but it’s been rumored for years:

    When asked for his defense in a dog biting lawsuit, famous Texas lawyer Racehorse Haynes replied “Well, now this is my defence: My dog doesn’t bite. And second, in the alternative, my dog was tied up that night. And third, I don’t believe you really got bit. And fourth, I don’t have a dog.”

    DRJ (50237c)

  32. …but Spector murdered the “Let It Be” album with all that unnecessary orchestration, and I’ll never forgive him for that. Whaddya youse guys think?

    Give him a fair trial, then hang him.

    J. G. Murphey (1aee1d)

  33. a

    Berkeley undergrad student where he organized some of them Comm Yoo Nists in Slate (an alernative student government party at Cal in the early 60’s)

    And then

    Bright guy though

    I believe tou refute your one point, sir!

    Scott Jacobs (a1de9d)

  34. All y’all tryin’ to talk Texan is pretty hilarious. I’ve always found the fixation on “y’all” (especially when the person misspells it “ya’ll”) was more than a little weird. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m fixin’ to take my kids to their soccer game. Afterwards, I’ll ask ’em if they want a coke & what kind. Then I’ll come home & fix dinner. Just like every good Texan does. 🙂

    sharon (dfeb10)

  35. soccer game???

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  36. Re, MD in Philly’s response in Comment #25 to Leviticus’s Comment #5:

    They accuse us lawyers for being double-talkers but when it comes to not giving a straight answer to a straight question nobody beats a doctor.

    (No offense MD in Philly, I like you guys notwithstanding that while lawyers were writing the Constitution some doctor was bleeding George Washington to death. I am the brother of an opthalmologist, the husband of a neurologist, the brother in law of an anesthisiologist, the cousin of three internists and a dentist, and the godfather of the child of a cardiologist (father) and ID (mother). I tease them much more than I am teasing you in this comment.)

    nk (6415d7)

  37. nk-

    And all of those doctors let a family member become a lawyer???

    I don’t mind the teasing, and I’m not being serious with you. After the fact I did feel that I had “waxed eloquent” too long in enthusiasm for my alma mater, while giving Leviticus a friendly nudge in the ribs.

    I believe there is an old country song, maybe Willie Nelson, “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys,… make them be lawyers and doctors and such.” When I was in residency and my good friend and neighbor was in law school we had a different version over the backyard grill, “Mamas, make Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys,… don’t let them be lawyers and doctors and such…”

    Although all said and done, I did answer Leviticus’ question eventually.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  38. Living in a heavily Hispanic area, and with your basic Mediterranean look, I’ve found y’all to be useful flag which ensures that no one thinks I speak Spanish. Except for the Hispanic co-worker from North Carolina who spoke Spanish with an extreme Carolina drawl. I picked it up originally when I attended schools in Atlanta and Tallahassee.

    Another good verbal sign of Southerness is “reckon”.
    “I reckon she’s fixin to plant a good kiss on y’all’s face sometime about now.”

    kishnevi (5c0e2a)

  39. “And all of those doctors let a family member become a lawyer???”

    I too was aiming to become a doctor but the first time I was shown a cadaver I ran out of the room and could not eat for a week. I dropped out of the police academy too. Ok, I’m a sissy.

    nk (6415d7)

  40. I’ve always been under the impression that, with the possible exception of “y’all,” many of the examples labeled as Texanisms are equally common in the Southern dialect. There are a few words that you might only hear in East Texas, South Texas, or West Texas but generally it’s not the words as much as the accent that distinguishes Texans from their Southern kin.

    DRJ (50237c)

  41. nk-

    It takes one kind of disposition to look at a cadaver, and another kind to fight legal battles. Good men and women are needed in both.
    One psychiatrist told of the first time he went to start an IV as a 3rd year medical student. The patient seized and died right in front of him. It was then he decided his future specialty.

    MD in Philly (3d3f72)

  42. Isn’t the defense attourney, Bruce Cutler, John Gotti’s old mouthpiece?

    baslimthecripple (015263)

  43. Steph in #29: I moved to Nashville from SoCal about 2 years ago, and LOVE it here!

    Y’all seems to be singular or plural in my office. Then again, I suggested a good alias for our company’s broadcast email address should be changed to “all y’all”. So far, it has not been done.

    the friendly grizzly (82ada0)

  44. Yeah, Spector murdered Let It Be and he almost ruined End Of The Century (not nearly as good as their first 4 albums but still tolerable, after all it is The Ramones) but he did produce some great songs and the best Christmas album of all time. Musically I think he comes out on the plus side.

    But personally, not even taking account of the murder charge, what he did to Veronica Bennett should get him locked up for a few years.

    RIP Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee.

    Donald Zeiter (f08d8d)

  45. I had a art techer in high school who spoke the southern dilect y-all come back now ya hear?

    krazy kagu (6c49b1)

  46. I am literally watching D.D.A. Jackson’s opening statement on CourtTV. I am typing this, with my fingers literally on my computer keyboard, as I watch and literally listen. I was hoping to find a more appropriate place to post this comment, but I literally searched several days worth of topics and couldn’t find a better one. My cat sits near me, literally an arm distance away, snoozing.

    Doesn’t the D.A.’s office EVER learn from previous mistakes? A brief mention of the shot and Spector’s supposed confession, then lost in the long list of previous incidents — all of which will be ample fodder to be shred by the defense attorneys. Yeah, sure — Philip Spector’s assistant and date gets threatened by a gun, “literally pressed up against places on her face,” and then falls asleep next to him on the bed and wakes in the morning to find “Philip” acting as if nothing has happened… If Spector is as drunk as claimed, why didn’t she wait for him to doze off and then get the hell out of there and call the cops?

    And talk about starstruck — Jackson mentions Joan Rivers’s assistant and then talks about how the jury will hear about “haughty circles” and Hollywood affluence?

    Be prepared for another acquittal of a guilty rich defendant, care of the L.A. D.A.

    nosh (de5a83)

  47. Dose the southern dialect now offend JESSIE JACKASSSON? what a whinning idiot

    krazy kagu (d61c23)


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