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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 18
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 18 |
I was attracted to this thread by the title "wise guy", hoping to learn more about the different uses of an expression that has been irritating me. When I was a child, my Bronx-born father would admonish me not to be such a "wise guy" when I was being fresh or when I had made a rude remark to an adult. Later, I was surprised to learn from Hollywood Mafia films that a "wise guy" was an initiated member of the mob. What does the term mean to "youse guys"? (Sorry to change the subject.)
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
What does the term mean to "youse guys"?
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Wise guy:
A smartalec, quick with smug answers, impudent (children).
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661 |
...surprised to learn from Hollywood Mafia films... I'm sure it can't get much earlier in "Hollywood time" than Curly "Stooge"'s version ... mmmm...wise guy... why I oughtah... "youse guys"?... ahemm. That would be the plural version - "Yous guys".   ammelah - The two versions are expressing the same *sentiment.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
Thanks for the info. I now know more than I would otherwise have known:-) I particularly like 'pairwise'.
Herr Paarweise
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
whilst looking for something else, I stumbled across this in the AHD usage guide -- it really just backs up what NW posted:
-wise
The suffix -wise forms adverbs when it attaches to adjectives or nouns. It comes from an Old English suffix -wise, which meant “in a particular direction or manner.” Thus clockwise means “in the direction that a clock goes,” and likewise means “in like manner, similarly.” For the last fifty years or so, -wise has also meant “with respect to,” as in saleswise, meaning “with respect to sales,” and taxwise, meaning “with respect to taxes.” Many people consider this usage awkward, however, and you may want to avoid it, especially in formal settings.
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