Was you surprised...?

[nyota]

*Was you surprised when you heard about it?

I heard 'was' used with 'you' on a number of occasions (American English) and yes I was surprised. I realise it's incorrect but hearing it more and more often I'm wondering how disgraceful it sounds in an informal situation?

[BobK]

I wouldn't say 'disgraceful' - except in a sense that (to the best of my knowledge) the word never had: lacking gracefulness.

b

[konungursvia]

I hear that usage on Corrie all the time, more than from the lips of Yanks.

[TheParser]

*Was you surprised when you heard about it?

I heard 'was' used with 'you' on a number of occasions (American English) and yes I was surprised. I realise it's incorrent but hearing it more and more often I'm wondering how disgraceful it sounds in an informal situation?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) You have asked an excellent question.

(2) I found the answer in A Grammar of the English Language, written by the one and

only Professor George O. Curme.

(3) "In older English, ...was ... was sometimes used for both singular and plural,

and for all persons."

(4) "Was was most frequently employed for were with the subject you where the

reference was to only one individual."

(a) Professor Curme cities this example: "Pray, Sir, how was you cured of your love?"

(5) Here in the United States, we had a scholar in the 19th century named Noah

Webster (the same person who compiled a famous dictionary). The great professor

quotes Mr. Webster as writing:

"The compilers of grammars condemn the use of was with you -- but in vain."

(a) (My words) Mr. Webster was wrong. It was not in vain. Books and teachers

have succeeded in stopping this use among educated people. Almost no one

says "You was ...." anymore in the United States. The only ones who do so are

people who have not had a good education or continue to speak the kind of English

that was passed down to them through their families.

P.S. It might astonish you to know that in the 19th century "He don't ...." was

common among all classes -- until teachers (bless them!) stopped that practice

by constantly criticizing it.