“Would you guys like something to drink?”I could not help smiling at the lady and two men sitting across the table from me in this California restaurant injected into the middle of North Carolina. We had just been deploring the use of this unisex slang expression to mean “ladies and gentlemen” and debating the possibility of asking waitresses to avoid it.
The waitress cocked her head and asked if something was wrong. After a few minutes of embarrassing hesitation, I told her, “This is a lady sitting next to me, not a guy, and the rest of us are men or even gentlemen, not guys or kids or fellows.”
“Then what am I supposed to say?”
When one Southern literary gent at the table suggested “You all,” she protested, “But then I’d sound like a cracker.” We assured her that the best people said “Y’all” and added that if she wanted to talk Yankee, she should talk old Philadelphia and not suburban Des Moines.
“Guy,” whether is derived from the effigies of Guy Fawkes burnt on the fifth of November or, as Mencken believed, from the guy-rope of a circus tent, has nothing to recommend itself as a term of address. Chesterton objected to being called a “regular guy” when he visited America – perhaps he thought he was being accused of being a Catholic terrorist.
The real point in using “guy” is that it is a weapon in the war to eliminate distinctions and to level sexes, ranks and ages into one neutral category that probably includes domestic animals.
Like “citizen” or “comrade,” guys is a political term that does nothing to elevate the waitress but only denies the social reality constructed by men and women, young and old. If pressed, the sweet young thing from Concord might had said she was doing this 50-something old man a favor by treating him as “one of the guys,” but some us old bucks are proud to have got to where we are and can barely tolerate the society of the under-35 guys, chicks, dudes, and hey-mans whose philosophy of life is “I deserve a break today.” Did somebody say “stupid”?
Humpty Dumpty
(Contemptible Familiarities, Chronicles Magazine, (www.chroniclesmagazine.org) February 2000, page 12)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
“You Guys”
Via Bernhard
One of my pet peeves.
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Guilty, but I'm not so sure we don't have more important things to worry about. Y'all guys be cool, y' hear?
ReplyDeleteWell said Walter. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite stories by Damon Runyon is "GUYS AND DOLLS".
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about it, I like the term, "guys and gals".
But, alas, because of the times we live in, even I have caught myself falling into that trap of accidentally including females when saying, "guys".
Similarly, have you noticed how the media always calls females "heroes" instead of "heroines"?
My cousin responds.:)
ReplyDeleteConcerning ‘The You Guys’ item I have two dear friends who are in their 70’s and eat out quite often.
On one of their recent outings the young waitress arrived at the table and out came “What would you guys like?”
Martha hadn’t had a good day and replied, “I have tits he has balls, how many guys do you see?”
The waitress dropped her head with tears and left the area. Way to go Martha.
The next server asked, “Would like to order Ma’am?”
Bill
Seriously. I've given this some more thought.
ReplyDeleteThese waitresses are not using the word "guys" to be purposely disrespectful or ill-mannered.
In many ways, I think it is elitist snobbery (and rude) for these servers to be called out like is being described, and not in keeping with the traditions of fine southern gentlemen and ladies.
I've always found peoples' speaking mannerisms and usage quite interesting actually.
You guys need to chill out.
Not the way I was raised, Walther.
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