"Y'all" and "folks" carry a bit of a cultural connotation. "Y'all" is identified with the South, and "folks" has a somewhat rural (folksy!) sound to it. I grew

"Y'all" and "folks" carry a bit of a cultural connotation. "Y'all" is identified with the South, and "folks" has a somewhat rural (folksy!) sound to it. I grew up without "y'all" and with "folks" almost exclusively referring to parents and grandparents, so I don't feel very natural using them. In chat, I'll use "folx". It's a private, unexplainable joke that also helps me feel a little less silly (by being a lot sillier).