I’m on a tear here. I just got back from an errand and was listening to the news on the radio. Here’s the quote from memory: "The cops arrested a guy in connection with a rumble last night at a dive on in Whittier. The guy was with a group of gang bangers when he began dissing another guy and his girl when they left the club. The cops said the guy would be charged and put in jail."
Oh please — I’m for keeping things simple as much as the next guy, but really… Wouldn’t it have been a bit better something like this:
"The police arrested a man in connection with an incident last night at a nightclub in Whittier. The suspect was with a group of suspected gang members when a fight broke out after the suspect began yelling at a customer and his female companion as they left the nightclub. The police reported that the suspect was arrested and taken to the county jail."
The world would be a better, and more quiet, place if the word "guy" was removed from the language. It is simply unnecessary. Restaurant: "What do you guys want to order?" "Can I get you guys some water?" Will you guys wait in the bar until your table is ready?" In every case, "guy" could have been left out and the sentence would have made just as much sense.
You can see the problem on the radio station, and in the restaurant. In virtually every social and business setting, the term "guy" is inserted constantly. "Will you guys wait for me?" "Are you guy hungry?" "Gee, its great to see you guys."
I once told a waiter that I would double his tip if he didn’t use the word "guy" during our entire dinner. He couldn’t do it. R just pointed out that Americans using "guys" is much like Canadians using "eh." Except that most Canadians don’t use "eh" and everyone uses "guys" down here.
Rita Garfield taught me in eighth grade English that the fewer words you use to say or write something, the better. Try this sometime. After you write a paragraph go back and see how many words you can remove. You may be surprised.
Rita Garfield taught in eight grade English that the fewer words used the better. Try this: Write a paragraph and then see how many words you can remove. You’ll be surprised.
I hate editors….
JVH
2 Responses
Most of those examples you give are because English doesn’t have an established plural for “you”. I’m used to people saying “y’all”, which is slightly less annoying than “you guys” so I’ve picked it up.
E.g., “Will you guys wait for me?” “Are you guy hungry?” “Gee, its great to see you guys.”
Becomes: “Will y’all wait for me?” “Are y’all hungry?” “Gee, its great to see y’all.”
While you are at it add: “awsome”; “dude”; “you know what I mean”; and that old standby “ah”, (if that is the correct spelling) as in “ah, ah, ah” before each thought. In fact there should be a criminal penalty for the over use of “awsome”, perhaps death. Tear away!