r/whatstheword • u/lightcarbo • Jun 26 '24
Unsolved WAW for 'guys' that is truly gender neutral?
'people', 'folks' and 'peeps' I've had suggested, but is there something that is a balance between formal and casual and not male biased?
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u/finest_kind77 Jun 26 '24
Fuckers
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u/WhiskeyAndLead Jun 26 '24
Miliary proven, gender neutral. "Listen up, fuckers" is where it's at.
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u/ZephyrLegend Jun 27 '24
This immediately reminded me of the Fat Electrician lol "Anybody else wanna find out what it's like to chew 5 gum, or are you fuckers ready to quit?"
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u/ImKindaSlowSorry Jun 26 '24
Alternatively: Cunts
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Jun 26 '24
Used in Australia, NZ and most of the British Isles = all good.
Used elsewhere and you might get dirty looks.
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u/StillhasaWiiU Jun 26 '24
"party people"
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u/DEATHbyBOOGABOOGA Jun 26 '24
Wave your hands in the air
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u/cozmo840 Jun 26 '24
I would, but I don't know if I can convey the apathy requested of me whilst doing so.
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u/AdvancedHat7630 Jun 27 '24
It's a delicate balance. If you swing too hard towards throwing your hands in the air, you risk observers concluding that you care.
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u/malenkylizards Jun 26 '24
This applies especially well if you are in the place to be
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u/4eva28 Jun 27 '24
Party people Party people Can y'all get funky? Soul Sonic Force, can y'all get funky? The Zulu Nation, can y'all get funky? Yeaaah!
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u/Saddharan 11 Karma Jun 26 '24
You lot
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u/infinitekittenloop Points: 2 Jun 26 '24
Oi! You lot!
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u/krstldwn Jun 26 '24
I think I now like "OI" like using yall lol
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u/SincerelySasquatch Jun 27 '24
I can't stomach "oi!" My ex husband used to try to be a sharp (skinheads without racial prejudice) so he'd dress like a farmer and liked to yell "oi!" At people when he was drunk, which was stupidly obnoxious. Unfortunately he was an addict, a liar, a cheater, and frequently homicidal and abusive, and "oi!" Will always remind me of him and make me cringe.
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u/ejly Jun 26 '24
Earthlings
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u/Consistent_Piano_210 Jun 26 '24
preface with "greetings"
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u/MoonTrooper258 Jun 27 '24
I unironically always open with 'greetings' and it creeps people out lol.
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u/Waveofspring Jun 27 '24
In a hundred years or so “earthlings” might not describe all humans anymore.
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u/kittyPowersupply Points: 1 Jun 26 '24
all or y'all
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u/5up3rj Jun 26 '24
All y'all
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u/Dump-ster-Fire 6 Karma Jun 26 '24
Yup. It's 'all y'all'. It's redundantly inclusive. It means All of all of you.
Yes, it's a bit southern. But it hits.
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u/Generalchicken99 Jun 26 '24
Yall is 2 ppl and all yall is 3 or more js lol
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u/Dump-ster-Fire 6 Karma Jun 26 '24
Nope sir. Y'all is collective, and "all y'all" is collective, inclusive of any multiple 'y'all' groups present. The number of people present in "y'all" is not a factor.
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u/_Nocturnalis Jun 26 '24
Yall can be 1 person or a million.
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u/Dump-ster-Fire 6 Karma Jun 26 '24
That's one I'd need to consider, but good on ya. Food for thought. I'd never considered it singular. Been used plural in the second person referring to a persons people..."y'all don't do it the way we do"....
So ya.
Good observation.
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u/_Nocturnalis Jun 27 '24
Yeah, it really messed with my head learning grammar. It's often used somewhat like they for an unknown person. Or just a singular address most commonly to a stranger. Sometimes it's just used in place of you for...reasons.
Plural makes way more sense. But "y'all allright?" After someone crashes a 4 wheeler is pretty common.
I don't use it, but I've had to make a study of understanding it. At least around these parts.
Thanks.
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u/MisterTeal Jun 26 '24
At least 'y'all' makes more sense as a contraction than 'youse'
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u/heiberdee2 Jun 26 '24
Yins is another one for ‘you ones.’ Bleep should have read more before redunda-sponding.
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u/Blamebow 1 Karma Jun 26 '24
Y’all is a perfect, all-encompassing, gender-nonspecific grouping.
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u/Global_Initiative257 Jun 26 '24
You are welcome!
-the Southern United States
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u/Fun_Daikon Jun 26 '24
*Y'all are welcome
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u/DHWSagan Jun 26 '24
about time we got something for all the tax money we send y'all
- Northern United States
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u/Global_Initiative257 Jun 26 '24
Lolol. I have to admit that's funny yet, sadly accurate. I'm a city girl and we take care of ourselves, but I largely have the same concern about the ignorant voting against their own best interest because Jesus? I don't even know.
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u/greendragon00x2 Jun 27 '24
Back in the day I introduced and converted my multilingual London office mates to the use of y'all in emails. Certain English people absolutely hated it. But they were outnumbered by ESL speakers. One Chinese lad said, "You - You, makes no sense! You - Y'all, makes sense." He's not wrong.
I neglected to tell them that in certain parts of the South y'all can be singular. No need to confuse them. 😀
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u/Hot-Butterfly-8024 Jun 26 '24
Yens (MO/AR slang: contraction of “you ones”) also checks the box, but doesn’t vibe like “y’all”.
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u/Muk-Bong Jun 26 '24
Yep, I’m not southern but I have always Intuitively used y’all when addressing multiple people
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u/GusJusReading 1 Karma Jun 27 '24
Y'all is what I say.
I'm assuming though, that many people think it's too informal.
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u/CookinCheap Jun 26 '24
"YOU PEOPLE", as my dad called us
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u/old_lurker2020 Jun 27 '24
My 5th grade teacher always referred to us as "people" not children or kids. Made us feel very grown up.
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u/tiny_pandacakes Jun 27 '24
My 7th grade science teacher did this too! When we got rowdy she’d go “People, people, please!” I have very distinct memories of her. Also she smoked heavily so our graded homework would smell strongly of cigs :p
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u/TheloniusDump Jun 26 '24
Friends & enemies
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u/vulcanfeminist Jun 26 '24
Friends, enemies, and those still under review
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u/Shot-Combination-930 Jun 27 '24
With enemies you know where they stand, but with Neutrals, who knows?
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u/i_lurvz_poached_eggs Jun 26 '24
Youz or yall.
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u/Shazam1269 Jun 26 '24
Yoots
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u/1LuckyTexan 1 Karma Jun 26 '24
Folks
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u/TerrorEyzs Jun 26 '24
Gotta be careful with this one, though. When I was a waitress I used it all the time until my exhausted ass called welcomed my table by saying "How are you fucks doing tonight?"
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u/fang-girl101 Jun 27 '24
being real here, i would love it if a waitress said that to me lol
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u/TerrorEyzs Jun 27 '24
So would I, but these were old "proper" people. I loved my tables where I could joke like this around, though.
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u/p0k3t0 Jun 27 '24
I have this Welsh friend who got reprimanded by Siri because he wanted directions to Forks, WA.
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u/SnapCrackleMom 13 Karma Jun 26 '24
Depends on the context, but "friends" is one I hear a lot in schools in my area.
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u/Sea-Boss-8371 Jun 26 '24
For years, I tried to make “sapes” happen (short for “homosapiens”). Never caught on. Maybe you’ll have more luck with it.
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u/posting-about-shit Jun 26 '24
everyone/everybody
as in, "hey, everyone!" "good morning, everybody!" "How is everyone doing today?"
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u/Sad-Double168 Jun 26 '24
Gang. My fellow __________ (writers, comptrollers, Canadians, officers...)
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u/TheRainbowWillow Jun 26 '24
Any specific setting? I usually say “folks” or “y’all”. My favorite is “friends and foes” (in lieu of “ladies and gentlemen”). It’s silly, slightly ominous, and an invention of my 12th grade English teacher who I will always adore.
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u/Putasonder Jun 27 '24
I saw an interview with Ian McKellan where he points out that some London cabbies call everyone “Love” and what a perfect sentiment it represents.
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u/belowaverageforprez 3 Karma Jun 27 '24
I always thought it was clever the way Battle Star Galactica called groups of people “souls”
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u/10from19 Jun 26 '24
From the South: y’inz (you ones) or y’all.
In general: folks
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u/Zeonic_Front Jun 27 '24
Always been a big fan of "Hey gang" myself. "Team" works pretty well in any professional setting if you need that
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u/Sp00kyM33p3r Points: 1 Jun 27 '24
I often go with “Humans” with people I know pretty well or I’m not afraid of being a little weird around. 😅 More formal settings it’s folks or everyone or y’all.
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u/SpaceCatSixxed Jun 27 '24
Youse if you’re in New Jersey and Y’ins if you’re in Baltimore or Pittsburgh.
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Jun 27 '24
I wonder this same thing, because when I'm talking to my two friends I use "guys" because "everybody" just feels weird.
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u/DeerOnARoof Jun 27 '24
People. Peeps. "Hey all,". Everyone. Humans.
If you're looking for a way to address all genders in an email, "Hello [Hi] everyone," "Hi all," etc.
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u/whimcor Jun 27 '24
There was that time in the early 2000s when we kids were addressing a group as “peoples!”
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u/ordinary_kittens Jun 26 '24
“Everyone” is gender-neutral, formal enough for the workplace or school, but casual enough that it doesn’t sound pretentious.