Does anyone HATE being referred to as “Guys”

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 39 total)

  • Inthesandpit
    Participant

    One thing that bugs me is when you are behind someone in line say at a coffee shop and they say that other Americanism that bugs me “can I get a café…..” well of course you can get one but whether you may purchase one is a different matter.
    If my poor old mater was alive she would have throttled him with her walking stick.
    So can we have more please may I and not can I?

    On the other hand this 61 year old would prefer gents or gentlemen, but if it was to happen I prefer that I be addressed as Guys rather than Mate or what I hate out here is being called boss


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=869764]One thing that bugs me is when you are behind someone in line say at a coffee shop and they say that other Americanism that bugs me “can I get a café…..” well of course you can get one but whether you may purchase one is a different matter.

    If my poor old mater was alive she would have throttled him with her walking stick.

    So can we have more please may I and not can I?

    On the other hand this 61 year old would prefer gents or gentlemen, but if it was to happen I prefer that I be addressed as Guys rather than Mate or what I hate out here is being called boss[/quote]

    Totally agree on the ‘can I get’.

    What I don’t understand is why a group recognition word is needed at all? ‘Good evening’ or an informal ‘hello or hi’ works just as well for an individual or group.


    LondonViking
    Participant

    There is nothing wrong with “can I have” which is very similar to “please could I have” which I hear in London all the time. Stop trying to rip on Americanisms from your Apple smartphone while drinking a Starbucks in your Levi jeans.


    Inthesandpit
    Participant

    FDOS Totally agree


    handbag
    Participant

    I don’t mind what people call me, feel that it is mostly not what you say, but how you say it that counts for me. Fastly approaching sixty, so when called “girls / gals”, I do smile. It is either flattery or a vivd imagination 🙂


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    [quote quote=869601]Yes, hate it. On a par with “there you go”, and “enjoy”. And “is everything alright for yourself?”[/quote]

    I’m at an age where young women in coffee shops call me “love”.

    I suppose if I was with someone else the plural wouldn’t work. Then I might get ‘guys’.

    I’ll try and order my coffee with someone else tomorrow morning to find out what happens.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=870047]

    Yes, hate it. On a par with “there you go”, and “enjoy”. And “is everything alright for yourself?”

    I’m at an age where young women in coffee shops call me “love”.

    I suppose if I was with someone else the plural wouldn’t work. Then I might get ‘guys’.

    I’ll try and order my coffee with someone else tomorrow morning to find out what happens.[/quote]

    If you’re in Yorkshire, don’t worry about it – Tykes refer to the other gender as ‘love’ regardless of age.


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    I’m in the Midlands, and I’m from Yorkshire so I don’t mind it.
    I think the plural of ‘love’ in this context is probably ‘fellas’, but we’ll see.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=870154]I’m in the Midlands, and I’m from Yorkshire so I don’t mind it.

    I think the plural of ‘love’ in this context is probably ‘fellas’, but we’ll see.[/quote]

    Have you seen Hitler’s trip to Yorkshire, on YouTube?

    I won’t post the link here as the language is, well……

    But it is funny.


    midorosan2
    Participant

    My absolute hate along with Guys and others is “reach out” what a load of codswallop, whatever happened to “contact” or “get in touch with”? reach out always seems to convey the message that I am in need of comfort or whatever.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    I sent a complaint to a bank recently and they thanked me ‘for reaching out’ to them. I replied and said I hadn’t ‘reached out’ to them, I’d written a letter of complaint, and please don’t confuse the two.

    On a similar topic, I find it quite helpful, or maybe it’s merely cathartic, to head an email/letter of complaint with the words : THIS IS A SERIOUS COMPLAINT ABOUT (whatever).


    Marc_ACB
    Participant

    Hi have no issue with “guys”, in fact I find it rather pleasant when being addressed as a group. I guess its horses for courses and the challenge for users of the word – particularly in the service industry – is reading your guests.

    I know it’s seen as mainly an American thing, I personally associate “Hi Guys” with the Irish and nothing sounds bad with an Irish accent. Imagine walking into a Dublin pub, sitting down at the bar and a young man says, “Hi guys, what can I get ye” I can taste the Jameson now.


    Marc_ACB
    Participant

    I also don’t mind “reach out” maybe I have many Californians in my live, or maybe I see it as a cover all term that includes social media messages to brands etc. I see it and the English language evolving and I’m grateful for it – I wouldn’t like to still be saying “I’m off to the ye olde Apple shoppe to buy my iPhone X”)


    nevereconomy
    Participant

    It would be interesting to do an age survey to see if younger posters (more likely exposed to the rampant Americanisation of the UK – close to being the 51st State) – accept this.


    MarcusGB
    Participant

    I do not mind at all, but it does set an environment of informality and more contemporary feel when travelling.
    It depends entirely on Country /Cultural settings, and is a behavioural style. In Travel, this applies to Airlines and Hotels really.
    I would hear it within different ranges of Hotels say within Accor, MGallery as contemporary elegant, trend setting informal settings, very smart and stylish. Bus not at Sofitel. It also is rather Class distinctive, and how much you pay for you hotel / Airline?

    You would expect this in Australia and Oceania region. Informality does not mean discourtesy, it depends on your attitude and whether you are status oriented if you feel uncomfortable with it. But there it is the norm.
    Similarly in Amsterdam (not through Netherlands), where there is little respect for inflated status, over-formality, or appearing better or different to others. It is regarded as valued, friendly and smart.
    You would not expect it in Asia, or Middle East, tends to run on status, formality, religious values, and a different use of acceptable language.
    I find much use of American phrases as quite insincere and false, so there it probably would be.

    It depends how it is used, in what culture, expectation of behaviour, value system, formality, and this would reflect on the Airline /Hotel group, of those countries. If you want to blend in respecting Cultures where you are, most would respect this and adapt our behaviour to being guests. In Psychology, this is rather related to Emotional intelligence.

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 39 total)
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