pro-formal (?) nature of "guy"

[Joel S. Berson]

At 10/3/2012 04:41 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>One argument for the pro-formal (?) nature of "guy" is the existence
>of contexts in which singular "guy" (as opposed to the more
>easygoing plural) can be sex-neutral--just in case it serves as a
>kind of place-holder, more or less like "one".

If this, in simpler words, means "guy" has become gender-neutral, I
noticed recently a cartoon strip from the Boston Globe in which one
woman refers to a group of all women as "guys" (twice).

"Recently" means since Saturday (perhaps on Sunday).  "Cartoon strip"
means one of those featuring fairly realistic human families.  If
anyone wants more precise identification, that guy will have to ask.

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org