this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2024
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English usage and grammar

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“You all” or “you both” or “you”or “you guys” seems less icky, like they don’t view you as a couple saying “you two”, like you are up to no good.

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[–] thenextguy 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] -3 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] Alexstarfire 2 points 4 days ago

The perhaps you should be answering the question you posed.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago

Like most of English, it's very situational and not automatically rude. It's mostly rude when being declarative (with no authority) and/or dismissive.

[–] breadsmasher 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

“you two are so cute together”

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 days ago (1 children)

What are you two doing here?

[–] Hugin 4 points 4 days ago

What are you doing here? Sounds just as rude.

[–] SendMePhotos 4 points 4 days ago

I don't know the terminology, but I think it's because it's a direct indirect. It's like saying, "you there" instead of referring by name or using like, "excuse me sir/ma'am" or even skipping the direct call out altogether and saying, "could I get some help"

Basically it skips all formal addressing and is like using slang to people unfamiliar. If you are familiar then it's rude because you should know their names. I think the main time something like that is used is in an informal setting where nobody is actually familiar with each other, or in a scenario where immediate direction is required without prior familiarity.