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Post by Markpd on Jan 12, 2022 15:34:37 GMT -8
I quite often use the word guys instead of people (or folks), and I think most people understand that too? Or am I wrong!? lol  I believe that the dictionary will say it simply means men, but I wondered if guys=people is as common 'slang' as I think it is? (Maybe I picked it up from American forums, films and TV programs??).
Anyway, I wondered what everyone else thought?
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Jan 12, 2022 16:07:48 GMT -8
I understand it as meaning "people" when it's used in the plural to address people (i.e "you guys") but in every other sense it means a man/men. It is very common slang at least where I live.
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Post by barryozzy on Jan 12, 2022 16:19:37 GMT -8
Yes I just use it for either gender or for a group of people
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Post by icecontroller2529 on Jan 13, 2022 2:14:00 GMT -8
English is not my native language. To me, "guys" used to be a colloquial way of addressing men. I heard it being used to address a group of exclusively females for the first time in the beginning of the internet and was confused at first. Over time, it became more and more familiar and at some point I started using it myself. As Mark said, it seems to have become a (more colloquial) word for "people". Might be a question of time before it will get banned when certain people feel offended ...  |
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Post by Markpd on Jan 14, 2022 12:37:32 GMT -8
Colloquial was the word I was looking for in my op, your English is better than mine!  Seems to me that 'guys' has gone the opposite way from being likely to offend anyone, it's become more inclusive! Anyway, glad to hear it's not just me  , still it would be nice to see many more people replying here  . And yea, I also think that 'guy' would only ever mean a man. |
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Post by betty on Jan 15, 2022 9:09:21 GMT -8
Yes, guys has come to mean anyone - like a shared gender identity of a group of people. So, I use it when something happens at work that I stumble upon and I would say something like 'Hey guys - who left this cheese here?' or offering something: 'so guys - anyone want a hot cup of tea?'.
I was asked the other day about the use of the word 'husbandry' as in animals husbandry (the care of animals including housing feeding and healthcare) actually - and we had a bit of a chat about that too, because it too has male connotations, when infact that is quite an old fashioned concept these day.
I don't think either are considered offensive just yet - but interesting to delve into the use of language on a mainly language-based international communicative medium. Hmm.
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Post by Shooting Star on Jan 22, 2022 11:31:34 GMT -8
"Guys" is common US slang for a group of people of any gender. However, there *is* some pushback in parts of the internet, insisting that "guys" is at its core a gendered term, and should not be used to address a group of people with non-masculine, mixed, or unknown gender identities. It seems to be mostly out of an (over)abundance of caution, but I have seen a few comments from people who seem legitimately personally bothered by being addressed that way. So make of that what you will. *shrug*
I generally try to avoid the issue by using "y'all" instead (being from the South), but I have yet to offend anyone by forgetting and reverting to "guys", as far as I know.
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Post by Markpd on Jan 22, 2022 14:49:00 GMT -8
Interesting, I've not come across that myself, but then again I limit myself to just a few forums (here, AnandTech (mostly US), M3post (mostly US) and occasionally OcUK), avoiding the political sections! Good to hear from you Shooting Star , noticed any changes in the forum? |
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), late 70s
, still it would be nice to see many more people replying here 
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