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"Guys"

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Motek

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 6:23 pm

since this is the Opinion section, I will air my peeve on the currrent use of the word "guys"

I've noticed that "guys" is being used in ways it was not used when I was growing up.

It was NEVER used for girls/women, not to address them nor to refer to them.

It was NEVER used to address a group, as in:

"Come on guys, let's go."

It was NOT used to address children.

It was used ONLY when talking about some person, whose name you might not have known, like:

"So the guy rolled down his window and said ..."

the Hebrew equivalent is "chevra" which sounds much nicer and is used exclusively for men.

Ozmom

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 6:27 pm

so how about we say gals instead?

gryp

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 6:32 pm

funny I didnt even notice it....

micki

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 7:08 pm

even my 2 year old when walking and sees a bunch of bird says- "ooh look at theese guys"

that funny. I refer to anyone- children "come on guys" friends - "hey guys"
thats funny.

RedVines

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 7:22 pm

Just the other day my almost 3 year old said to both my husband and I "Look at this guys!!" I was so shocked, I had to turn away to laugh!

ForeverYoung
Guest

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 8:12 pm

lol

Tefila

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 8:25 pm

Quote:

funny I didnt even notice it....

Ditto there Confused

Ozmom

Thu, Mar 10 2005, 8:33 pm

I did
I was waiting for motek to say something, I had a feeling she wouldn't like it heheheh Twisted Evil

chulent

Fri, Mar 11 2005, 1:23 am

I think you need to chill

Pearl

Fri, Mar 11 2005, 3:45 am

Quote:

I think you need to chill

who needs to chill??

I really don't see the problem, Motek....I mean, language changes, that's a fact. as long as it's not disrespectful etc, ....there are certainly words I don't use, nor are my children allowed to use them. when I wake up my daughters in the morning, I say "good morning ladies" or something like that, but when there are friends over, I could say " come on guys, let's go" (but not in english, as they won't understand Wink

).....not a big deal I would think.

imaamy

Fri, Mar 11 2005, 10:27 am

"Guys" has become very common. I find myself using it although I don't particulary like it. I do find "gals" very sexist. To me in conjers up images of an old man talking like they did in the 50s! I guess "women" is the most neutral in this day and age.

Motek

Fri, Mar 11 2005, 3:00 pm

Ozmom wrote:

I was waiting for motek to say something, I had a feeling she wouldn't like it heheheh Twisted Evil

honest?

Quote:

as long as it's not disrespectful

I think it's undignified. Why was mommyoftwo shocked?

here's something to ponder - there are certain groups of frum people who don't use it. They don't use "cool" or "awesome" either. Think of chasidic Jews, English speaking, in Williamsburgh, Boro Park, wherever they live. Think of non-chasidic but frum Jews from the New York area, those who attend Yeshiva of Brooklyn, Bais Yaakov of Boro Park, Tomer Devorah etc. They're not using these words. Why not?

how come, someone told me that the principal of her Lubavitcher high school urged the girls not to use "guys" - how come?

Tefila

Fri, Mar 11 2005, 4:51 pm

Quote:

I think it's undignified

Now that you've brought it to my attention you are right.
Wonder now if I've used it hm!

Rivka

Sat, Mar 12 2005, 7:25 pm

I think it's an americanism. I don't use the word Guys, if I want to mention some make person I will say a guy or a bloke. Either way.
Should we use the word people. as in "ok people, lets go" or "right people, lets make a decision". I don't see it as undignified. Language does change, it it didn't we would all be speaking as if we were reading out of a Shakespeare play we nicked from the school library.

Motek

Sun, Mar 13 2005, 5:13 pm

Rochel Leah wrote:

My sister was walkign to shul this past shabbos and ther were two boys around 8-9 years old walking with their sisters infront of my sisiter. My sister wanted to walk by them so she said "Excuse me guys" and the one boy said to her:

WE are not guys we are Chasidim" So she said "oops sorry, Excuse me chasidim....

in this case, children felt it was undignified.

passing young cheder children and saying, "Excuse me guys"?!

Rivka

Sun, Mar 13 2005, 7:20 pm

I would have just said "excuse me, may I just come past you" Very polite and no guys involved. But guys is talking about a bunch of homeosapians of the male category. I think in the US it has become a word used for everyone.
Also the children might not have known what guys meant, they might have thought she said "goys" and in some american accents it probably might have sounded that way....or maybe just the london accent.

daisy

Sun, Apr 03 2005, 4:44 pm

we always referred to each other as "guys" growing up. This was in the 80's and "out of town", though. I don't know if it was so prevalent in the NY Bais Yaakovs.

Motek

Sun, Apr 03 2005, 5:31 pm

it migrated from out-of-town to SOME (definitely not all) parts of N.Y.

Rivka

Mon, Apr 04 2005, 8:14 pm

That is how language grows. Travel has become more accesible and easier, the world has become "smaller" so accents become less pronounced and words from other dialects or languages become common language.

yo'ma

Sun, Jun 15 2008, 9:11 pm

daisy wrote:

we always referred to each other as "guys" growing up. This was in the 80's and "out of town", though. I don't know if it was so prevalent in the NY Bais Yaakovs.

Finally got to the last thread in chit chat.

I grew up in the 80's and I'm from NY and use guys all the time, but then again, where I lived and school I went to was more like "out of town".

I used the word guys to my Satmar students. I have to be more careful. If the prinicpal found out, I don't think she'd appreciate it. They're very closed off.

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