The term apposition is used as a broad linguistic catch-all category for structures which can differ from one another to quite a considerable degree. Traditionally, the category was seen as rather homogenous and uniform, consisting of relatively few subdivisions, however recent studies suggest that various subtypes of this structure display their own distinct features which set them apart from other types of apposition. The recent findings suggest that the category of apposition consists of a much more heterogenous and varied set of constructions linked together by a similar structural makeup. This paper focuses on a specific subset of appositions referred to as the pronominal close apposition or simply the “you guys” construction. The structure is first analyzed according to the core principles of the theory of construction grammar, particularly the work of the linguist Adele Goldberg. In addition, a search for empirical data is conducted by looking for evidence of use in six linguistic corpora. The implications brought about by the results of the theoretical and empirical analyses are then considered in the light of the process of grammaticalization and language change in general. The paper demonstrates that the “you guys” construction behaves in a completely different way to other types of appositional construction. These idiosyncrasies justify placing it in its own special category, separate from other examples of apposition.
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