A reader asked what I thought about using the phrase ‘you guys’ when talking to a group of people. While there may be nothing wrong with it and lots of people use it, there’s nothing really right with it, either. And you never know when someone in your audience might take offense at it. In contemporary usage, it’s usually gender-neutral, but still a little lame.
So, I try to avoid that phrase when I can. Instead, I try to use ‘you’, ‘all of you’ or even ‘you folks’ as less lame alternatives. And there’s nothing wrong with the traditional ‘ladies and gentlemen’ either.
So, when I’m on top of my game, you guys will not hear me say ‘you guys’