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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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