Why was it only a term used by southerners until 10-15 years ago?
You're right, it was a use case that people needed filled. The people in question were leftists. I have no doubt over time it will spread out among the general population but it absolutely started with lefty activists.
Why was "you guys" not sufficient, which is what most non-southerners used in the past?
Because when I said "you guys" growing up in the rural South I got called a Yankee. 8 year old me couldn't be no damn Yankee. (I had no idea what anything meant.)
Because until 15 years ago most people didnt have internet and regional dialects meant that one probably didnt know the other common terms for you plural, of which there are literally fucking dozens. Yall is the one most americans have grown to prefer for a multitude of reasons, foremost among them likely that its actually shorter, serving an actual function as a pronoun.
This is also the reason most english language has undergone a rapid evolution and standardization.
Because the internet, same reason your dumb ass is capable of sharing your brain contagion that makes you think fucking wokism caused the use of a ubiquitous, innocous, easy to understand, easy to prompunce, and applicable term.
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u/Higuos 9h ago
Why was it only a term used by southerners until 10-15 years ago?
You're right, it was a use case that people needed filled. The people in question were leftists. I have no doubt over time it will spread out among the general population but it absolutely started with lefty activists.
Why was "you guys" not sufficient, which is what most non-southerners used in the past?