Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[yoshi-pooh]

Hi, everyone.

I understand Americans say "You guys!" when they call out to more than one woman.
Does that mean "you guys" can be used as a plural form of you under certain circumstances?

I'd appreciate your help.

yoshi-pooh

[CP]

Sadly, people more and more seem to use "guys" to refer to women, and "you guys" to mean "you people" or "you folks." In that way, it does function as a plural "you," somewhat like "you all" does in the South, or "youse" in parts of the Northeast U.S.

Once or twice my wife and daughter and I have been greeted by a waitress with, "Are you guys ready to order?", and I've answered, "I don't know about these guys, but I'll have the fish." It's admittedly a childish and foolish thing to say--the waitress will have her hands on my dinner, after all, and she didn't invent the misused phrase--but it grates on my ears every time I hear it.

I suggest avoiding the use of "guy" or "guys" altogether. There are plenty of more accurate words to use whenever you need to refer to people, and anyway we guys cannot afford to lose any more words.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[yoshi-pooh]

CP, thanks for your reply.

Maybe I'd better not say "You guys!" to women.

yoshi-pooh

[lotus]

Hi yoshi-pooh,

As a matter of colloquial English, teenagers often say "hey, you guys!", whether they refer to boys or girls. I hear it now more often with girls than ever before.

Yes, it's very informal English and heard most often with adolescents. But, it's a very friendly term, akin to "buddy."


--lotus
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War does not make one great --Yoda

[yoshi-pooh]

Hi, lotus
Thanks for your reply.

yoshi-pooh