You guys...

I use 'you guys' or 'you chaps' but I mean it respectfully as there is often no other polite and lighthearted alternative.

Or perhaps there is? What should I be saying?

I don't object to 'you guys' but I do find other expressions irritating. The one that rattles my cage is the ubiquitous 'no problem' as in exchanges such as:
Salesperson: what can I get you?
Me: an Americano please.
Salesperson: no problem.
Why would it be a problem? We're in a coffee shop for god's sake. It's not as if they have to make a massive effort to source it. I've encountered this buying fruit from a fruit stall, ordering meals in restaurants and drinks in a pub and it really, really annoys me.

worthingpatchworkers - I think you have made a valid point about being literal with those suffering from autism, although some with that condition manage to disguise it. I do think though "guys" is considered, by a section of the younger generation as an acceptable way to address a group of people, even though that group may include women. Similarly, I and many others will refer to my children sometimes as my kids, I think autistic people would know from the context that the conversation is not referring to baby goats.

I'm not sure I would consider either "kid" or "you guys" lazy language they are just idioms, and the latter is a term favoured by the younger generation. We are all of "our time" and every generation is influenced in different ways as far as speech is concerned. At the moment we have the Australian inflection, Americanisms, not to mention street language that encompasses elements of West Indian and Asian which produces a patios that is sometimes quite hard to follow.

nannalyn53, I think we all have our personal annoyances as far as language is concerned, I don't like the "can I get?" simply because it's stupid way to address a person serving in say a coffee shop and it's not always accompanied by a please either.

I would not take exception to a sales person or waiter saying "no problem", maybe it's not entirely the appropriate response but I find it perfectly polite and that's enough for me.

I'm used to 'no worries mate' so 'no problem' seems OK to me! In fact it reminds me of when we did have a problem in France and other French families on the campsite were so helpful and kind and when we tried to thank them they kept saying 'pas de probleme' (with an accent over the middle e of course, can't seem to do it on here).

DM used to dislike 'OK' but I notice I used it in my post above

Don't like....you guys, ........but realise it is common parlance. I was hearing it a lot at school as I came up to retirement. It's very American.

I hate it! I am NOT a guy and don't want to be addressed as one. Yet another Americanism that has crept into our language, it can creep out again as soon as it likes. I'm not normally a grumpy old...........

I like "guys" - saves the sexism problem and in general I only meet people who are on friendship terms. What I do take real umbeage about is young people, whether nurses in hospital, neighbours' children etc calling me by my first name without permission. To be honest it wouldn't worry me if they asked "do you mind?"

I hate it! I don't like 'kids' for children either although we all use it sometimes. I don't mind colluquialisms ( nor can I spell them!) or informal things like 'love' 'hen' etc but GUYS drives me potty. MY DDIL calls the children GUYS all the time- it sounds so false. One of them is a girl.

Someone in the family used to say " I don't care what you call me, just don't call me late for dinner." I don't mind "you guys", if said pleasantly.

We don't mind it at all, especially at our local cinema where the sweet young staff members have such beaming smiles!

?

Howway man! aa diva kna what's the matter with ye, hinny, there's far wose things ye could be caalled, pet.

Oh dear! I have lived in the States for many years and I confess that I have "picked up" this expression! But I only say it infrequently!

Trisher -
I wondered if someone would come up with "man" and "hinny" and "pet"!

ARE you a Madam, Jingle? >runs and hides>>>>>

trisher

I think I've been called 'pal' and 'mate' more often than I've been called 'madam'. And then there's 'luv'. Yaarright, luv?

Neverr mind me luvver

I dont really mind 'you guys' but loathe 'babe' or 'darling'. If a strange man (yes, I know, they're all strange!) calls me 'my darling' it makes me want to poke him in the eye with a sharp stick! Me, violent? Never!

For those who dislike Americanisms, look away now ......

In Philly I've been greeted with the delightful mix of "wazzup ma'am" . Made me grin from ear to ear.

I have to say I like it. I run a mixed team of all ages and find the guys is an accepted, non-offensive term. Ladies and gentleman is too formal. Boys and girls to young and can sound patronising. In the end it is tailoring it to the people you are talking to.

'You guys' doesn't bother me but what I really dislike is being called 'Hun' or 'Hon'

As my dear departed father used to say "call me what you like, so long as it's not 'late for dinner'" - it was years before I understood what he meant!!! He also totally convinced me and my three sisters that he had been found under a gooseberry bush (we had loads in our garden and I remember us searching under these regularly, just in case we found a baby there. Oh the innocence of childhood!!!!

When walking in a park in the US last holiday, a man who was walking in the opposite direction and was obviously an ex-soldier (by his haircut and gait probably not very long ex either!) on his way to the Scout camp further up the hill, greeted us as "Sir" and "Miss". Cheered me up no end!

Agree with you I don't mind at all makes me feel younger!!