Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 15:39:39 -0500 From: Bill Cole - 919-248-6118 Subject: Re: 2 pl > You guys (informal, gender unspecific) is well-established here in southern > lower Michigan. It is, I suspect, not related to any Southern substratum, > however, since the primary users are young, female, lower to upper middle > class, majority group with no southern backgrounds (as in some > European-American groups in Michigan). No native Southerner would use "you guys" unless his/her parents were unreconstructed Yankees. > Edgar's suspicion that a server in a restaurant might refer to patrons this > way is correct, but it would be very much dependent on the poshness of the > place (where it would be out of line in any place with any pretension > whatsoever). Moreover, I think there would have to be some social solidarity > among speakers (even server - patrons) before it would be used. A young server > (even in a casual place) would not use you guys on older patrons. > I also do not know the limits of southern Michigan all set, particularly > useful in service encounters. After you have read a menu, a server will ask > all set (are you ready to order). After your food comes, he or she will again > enquire all set (do you have what you want), after you have stuffed yourself, > another all set means can the plates be taken away now; a later all set means, > of course, should I bring the bill. It is easy to see how this was extended > from the older all set (the one I use), which means something like is a > groupnow ready to engage in some sort of activity or take some sort of action, > but I found it odd (and hard to explain the oddness of to local users, who, of > course, could not imagine that one would say anything else in the > circumstances. > This all set, by the way, is not casual (like you guys). I have heard it in > the poshest places (when I have been taken there, rarely, of course, and never > more than once so my testimony on this aspect may be questionable. Those who > know Lansing will, on the other hand, know that posh restaurant is > oxymoronic.) > Anybody else out there struck by this all set? Yes, "all set" seems to be all purpose. Sort of a social convention. But it seems to peculiar to restaurants. Maybe I don't get out enough. /Bill Cole : To do right, love justice and walk humbly. (919)248-6118 Data General Corp. Enterprise Application Customer Support Center RTP, NC The opinions are my own, thank you.