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Posted By: fajrdrako Greedy gus or guts - 12/23/07 02:01 PM
I recently used the phrase "greedy gus" in a story I wrote set in England. (I am Canadian.) An English reader told me that the phrase was really "greedy guts". Since I had always heard it
as "greedy gus", or probably "Greedy Gus", I tried looking it up, and found both usages in different sources. Is this a difference in British and American language? If so, I find the British
version more logical - and the American version more colourful.
Posted By: dalehileman Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/23/07 03:51 PM
Welcome

I too had always heard it
as "greedy gus", and I'm in my 78th
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/23/07 06:38 PM
gus here.

welcome, faj!
Posted By: zmjezhd Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/23/07 06:48 PM
OED1 cites greedy-gut(s) from 1550 for 'glutton'. DARE only has greedy-gut(s). (The UK version, 16th-18th century, is without the final s; the US 20th century is more likely to have the fional s.) Greedy Gus sounds to me like an eggcorn.
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/23/07 08:53 PM
makes sense.
Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/24/07 02:14 PM
And here I'd just assumed it was some old comic strip character. Thanks for the info, Nuncle.
Posted By: Zed Re: Greedy gus or guts - 12/25/07 09:13 PM
I've always heard guts.
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