"guy''

[sagehen]

>Joel S. Berson wrote:
>> At 6/15/2007 08:13 AM, Jon L. wrote:
>>> "Guy" has been America's slang/colloquial term of choice for male
>>> human beings for well over a century; so more specific nuances are
>>> inevitable. (Gays look for "guys." So do "gals." Is that
>>> linguistically noteworthy? Dunno.)
>>
>> Is it linguistically noteworthy that it is also being used today to
>> refer to females, including by females?  What date should one look to beat?
>
>1963 or so. I remember arguments with sixth grade classmates about
>whether "you guys" referring to a group of girls was inaccurate and/or
>offensive.

>Alice Faber
 ~~~~~~~~~~
We addressed our three daughters, born '53 to '57,  as "you kids" or "you
guys" indiscriminately, from their earliest days.
Singular "guy," applied to a woman or girl, in my experience, wasn't heard
until the late '60s.
"You guys" is so prevalent nowadays that I wonder if it's making any
inroads into "y'all."
AM

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