MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel

[Closed] Folks

11 Posts
10 Users
0 Reactions
147 Views
Posts: 648
Full Member
Topic starter
 

(Green Ink) Has anyone noticed the new usage of 'Folks' by politicians and doctors? It appears to mean 'I have an empathy with you the general public (but really I have absolutely no understanding and a deep distain for the lot of you)'. I'm sure it works in the USA or Germany but in the UK it just sounds deeply patronising. (Green ink off)


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:20 am
Posts: 5487
Full Member
 

Folks probably stress too much about it.


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:26 am
Posts: 7060
Free Member
 

aloof distant type uses friendly reference to appear more in touch?

s/a 'hard working families' and other trite references to 'everyday people'


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:29 am
Posts: 3642
Free Member
 

#weareallamericansnow

How does OP sit with ‘peeps’?

I remember my grandfather using ‘folks’ regularly. He was a Bredon man. He’d use sentences such as ‘Some folks don’ understan’ what they’m a-doin!’


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:29 am
Posts: 20751
 

I use ‘folk’ a fair bit.

Never ‘folks’ though.


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:30 am
Posts: 12123
Full Member
 

Peaked in the 1920s, been in sharp decline recently.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=folk%2C+folks


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:30 am
Posts: 17176
Full Member
 

I go to visit my folks. Is that allowed?


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:31 am
Posts: 648
Full Member
Topic starter
 

How does OP sit with ‘peeps’?

We've never been introduced but by all accounts she's nice


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:33 am
Posts: 4447
Full Member
 

When I was still working I was encouraged to use 'folks' when addressing groups of people as a non-gendered alternative to 'guys'.


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:33 am
Posts: 648
Full Member
Topic starter
 

When I was still working I was encouraged to use ‘folks’ when addressing groups of people as a non-gendered alternative to ‘guys’.

That's cunning. That way you can be a none genderist but still a patronising git.

It's probably the people using it, but to me it flags up a sentence telling me to do something that the speaker has no intention of following themselves


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:38 am
Posts: 7984
Free Member
 

I frequently get emails just addressed to "All," which really steams my goat. Would prefer "Folks" over that.


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:41 am
Posts: 13261
Full Member
 

When I was still working I was encouraged to use ‘folks’ when addressing groups of people as a non-gendered alternative to ‘guys’.

This. I use 'folks' a fair bit these days as I habitually used 'guys' or 'ladies and gents' when addressing large groups previously. Though, oddly, I was (am) more than happy to use 'guys' to a group of (making visual assumptions) exclusively women so, to me at least, it has a non-gendered use as a friendly collective. But assumed intent is judged by the ears of the audience and all that....

Suggestions for alternatives that makes (some) people's teeth itch less? For reference I am frequently talking to groups where I know a minority there are who identify non binary or gender fluid and are not 'colleagues' so I can't use that (though I wouldn't elect to even if I could).

Group
Gang
People
Rabble


 
Posted : 16/02/2022 8:44 am