[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Jimgolf
Quote:
Originally posted by rainmaker
PPSS ...and there's no reason to put it in parentheses, unless you're trying to say that gals and guys aren't equal....and I know that even if you think that, you are smart enough not to say it.
Actually, the parentheses are used correctly to denote an insincere politically correct phrase that is only inserted to appease certain sentimentalities who feel incorrectly that 'guys' is an exclusively masculine term. But 'gals' would be correct if it were needed.
Is this far enough off topic for you?
[Edited by Jimgolf on Oct 4th, 2005 at 11:37 PM]
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Including "gals" in parentheses doesn't feel real politically correct to me. Why would anyone want to be tacked on as an afterthought?
And actually, "guys" IS an exclusively masculine term, equivalent to "gentlemen". I know that many, many, many people will refer to a group as "you guys" but that is not correct English, and never will be. The reason for the error is the incorrect belief that "you" is singular. It isn't.
SO when a waitress says, "Are you ready?" and the idjuts at the table say, "I don't know about them, but I am!" the waitress should smile condescendingly and take their order, knowing that their English isn't as good as hers. Instead, she gets tired of thinking she's wrong, and begins to say, "Are you guys ready to order?" At this point my grandmother used to get up and walk out after explaining to the manager that proper language usage is the foundation of all civilization and the employees of this restaurant had made it clear to her that this institution was moving away from that noble goal.
She was a magnificent woman, my grandmother, and I can't hope to ever walk in her shoes. But every once in a while I walk out on a waitress who says, "you guys" just to honor her memory.
Is that off topic enough, Barry Alman?