What did you guys order?

[Winwin2011]

John, David and Peter were eating in a resturant. John asked David and Peter:

What did you guys order?

Is it unnatural to say "What did you order?" if we asked both of them? "You" can refer to one person or two people or more. What can we say if we don't use "you guys"?

Thanks.

 

[bhaisahab]

John, David and Peter were eating in a resturant. John asked David and Peter:

What did you guys order?

Is it unnatural to say "What did you order?" if we asked both of them? "You" can refer to one person or two people or more. What can we say if we don't use "you guys"?

Thanks.

"What did you two order?"

 

[Winwin2011]

"What did you two order?"

Thanks a lot,bhai.

If we ask ten people or more which we do not know the exact number, how do we say?

 

[5jj]

If we ask ten people or more which we do not know the exact number, how do we say?

We'd be unlikely to ask that question of more than two or three people.

 

[SoothingDave]

Thanks a lot,bhai.

If we ask ten people or more which we do not know the exact number, how do we say?

The number doesn't really matter. As you noted, "you" works for singular or plural.

You could say "you all" if addressing a group instead of "you guys." (In fact "you all" is contracted as "y'all" and serves as the plural form of you in certain dialects of English in the American south.)

 

[Winwin2011]

The number doesn't really matter. As you noted, "you" works for singular or plural.

You could say "you all" if addressing a group instead of "you guys." (In fact "you all" is contracted as "y'all" and serves as the plural form of you in certain dialects of English in the American south.)

Thanks, SoothingDave.

I read a book written by a non native. The author said "In daily conversation, most of the people won't use "you" to represent plural". Even if there are a few people are here, if one of them says "Do you need this". The "you" mostly works for "singular" only. In order to avoid misunderstanding, the author suggested we use "you guys" to represent plural. What do you think about this?

 

[SoothingDave]

Thanks, SoothingDave.

I read a book written by a non native. The author said "In daily conversation, most of the people won't use "you" to represent plural". Even if there are a few people are here, if one of them says "Do you need this". The "you" mostly works for "singular" only. Is it correct?

No, it's not correct. What does this author say people use instead of "you"?

 

[Winwin2011]

No, it's not correct. What does this author say people use instead of "you"?

Thanks again, SoothingDave.

I edited my post before I read your favourable reply. In order to avoid misunderstanding, should we have to say"you guys" or "you all" or something like that to refer to plural form of you?

 

[SoothingDave]

Thanks again, SoothingDave.

I edited my post before I read your favourable reply. In order to avoid misunderstanding, should we have to say"you guys" or "you all" or something like that to represent plural?

If you think there would be some misunderstanding, you could. "You guys" is informal.

You are basically asking if there is some way to make sure that those listening to you understand whether "you" means just one of a group or the entire group.

As usual, context and other clues helps us. If I am in a meeting and say "you need to sign the attendance sheet" it's clear this applies to all. On the other hand, if I say to John "can you dim the lights?" it would be clear from the events and the eye contact that I am talking to just one person.

 

[Gillnetter]

Thanks, SoothingDave.

I read a book written by a non native. The author said "In daily conversation, most of the people won't use "you" to represent plural". Even if there are a few people are here, if one of them says "Do you need this". The "you" mostly works for "singular" only. In order to avoid misunderstanding, the author suggested we use "you guys" to represent plural. What do you think about this?

I suggest that you become suspicious of any book which proposes that "you guys" is somehow acceptable. When I hear this phrase I assume that it is being said by a 14 year old from a school district with low standards.

 

[emsr2d2]

If I were at a restaurant with ten friends, left the table (for example, to go to the toilet) and when I came back I discovered that the waiter had already come to take the order, I would say "Damn! I missed the waiter. I'll find him in a minute. In the meantime what did everyone order?" or "What have you all ordered?" or "What did the rest of you order?"

I can't imagine needing to make it clear whether I'm referring to one person or all of them. If I were only talking to one person at the table, I would look directly at them, perhaps use their name, and speak directly to them in a normal voice. If I wanted to ask everyone at the table, I would raise my voice and not only make eye contact with one person. Depending on my actions and body language, I could say "What did you order?" and the person/people I was addressing would probably know who I meant.

 

[SoothingDave]

I suggest that you become suspicious of any book which proposes that "you guys" is somehow acceptable. When I hear this phrase I assume that it is being said by a 14 year old from a school district with low standards.

It's pretty common as a greeting by wait staff in casual restaurants here (where y'all isn't used). "How are you guys doing tonight?"

 

[JarekSteliga]

It can be great fun discussing the virtues and vices of this sort of language, but the General Language Discussions forum is probably a better place for it than this thread.

If the forbidden fruit did not taste a lot better than an ordinary one, we would all still be living in the Paradise :roll:

The discussion of PC language has now been transferred to the other forum. It's not forbidden fruit, but it was off-topic in this thread. -5jj

 

[5jj]

It's pretty common as a greeting by wait staff in casual restaurants here (where y'all isn't used). "How are you guys doing tonight?"

I am old-fashioned enough to cross a restaurant like that off my list. It took years for me to get used to complete strangers addressing me by my first name after two seconds' acquaintance. My stomach is not ready for 'you guys' from wait staff.