“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.

3 points

Try, “the two of you” or “the both of you”.

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1 point

I guess I was trying to frame my question as hearing someone say to a couple “you two” feels like they don’t view them as a couple but as 2 individuals or 2 people not as a couple. Just my feeling.

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1 point

“The both of them”

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2 points

‘You two are a great couple’

What now…

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0 points

When or if you ever addressed your parents, did you call and say- “How are you two doing?” I would not.

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1 point

the both of you

Uh, no… just, “both of you”.

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14 points

It doesn’t.

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-3 points

I guess I just disagree.

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10 points

“you two are so cute together”

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11 points

Wow, rude!

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0 points

What are you two doing here?

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4 points

What are you doing here? Sounds just as rude.

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11 points

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.

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4 points

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.

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English usage and grammar

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