Answer to Question #171902 in English for Tim

Question

Read "Language, Identity, and Ideology 1: Variations in Gender" in chapter 13 of LANGUAGE, CULTURE, and SOCIETY by Salzmann, Zdenek et. al. Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uDora_l-mv58-BxAzlPuR53FKt6qCeJU/view?usp=sharing

Women often use the term “you guys” as a second-person inclusive pronoun regardless of the group’s composition. For example, when a sorority sister says “Hey, you guys want to go get something to eat?” Based on your reading comment on the use of this type of expressions that still persist in language.

Answer 1

To be specific language plays a big part in individuals’ life since it proportionally affects the people we care about and those who ones work with. Gender neutral language is the one that does not discriminate gender identities or groups. When Women refers to “You guys”, even though it is discriminative to one gender of men, it is their way of referring to a group of men.