MoreSpaceEcho wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:58 am My guitar tech calls me bro, in a non-ironic/sarcastic way, which is funny, as he's not a bro-y dude in any way at all.

My brother and I never call each other bro.

Bruh makes me laugh.

How does the PRF feel about 'boss'? I like that one.

There's a particular McDonalds that I hit every once in a while.

Without fail, a set of four or five younger guys working there have called me boss.

Every one of them seems like an ok guy, and I wonder if they just do it with everyone.

kicker_of_elves wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 4:15 pm The use of Bro kind of reminds me of buddy and pal. In the beginning of a debate when things are pretty amiable, people are usually "look, buddy...". Once things start getting heated, however, it turns into "listen, pal..."

Man, Jon/Chad from Drag The River would almost always call you "Buddy..."

Next thing you knew, I was doing it.

Buddy...

Oh man, thinking about "bruv".

That one's right next to "innit" as an expression that a Yankee anglophile would try to adopt and can't really pull off.

I'm still on the fence about "cheers". It does something specific that I like, but I always feel like a bit of a tool when I use it.

On another note, I had a friend once who said every dude you know is either a "chief" or a "boss". You can almost detect the difference in pheromones. A boss is a straight guy, not sexually or in sobriety, just the straight guy. The chief knows where the best waves are, or always had weed in highschool, or can comfortably integrate socially with vastly different subcultures of people.

I’m pretty sure I may have used unironically in the deep past… like early 90s past… it feels antiquated now, like saying “swell” if you’re American or “choice!” If you’re a New Zealander of a certain age.

kicker_of_elves wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 4:15 pm The use of Bro kind of reminds me of buddy and pal. In the beginning of a debate when things are pretty amiable, people are usually "look, buddy...". Once things start getting heated, however, it turns into "listen, pal..."

I never use ‘bro,’ but bonus points for being a word that can start a fight or induce laughter based on context and inflection. Dudes rock.

seby wrote: “sir”

I’m from the gulf part of Texas, around Houston, and like sir and ma’am and use them all the time unless it’s condescending, which it definitely can be. But, see Twain re: southern gentility and Sir Walter Scott.

Then there’s that awful monotone cop/soldier sir… no thanks, officer. Way to announce you’re the weird veteran at the punk bar.

seby wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:36 pm “sir” is a funny one.

When we were travelling in the States we loved it, along with “mam” - with all of the politeness and civility that it implied.

But this is very contextual.

If someone calls you sir in Australia, then you probably in danger at this point.

Yeah the lady at the service station called me "sir" one time and in my head I was like "whaaat fuck you bitch". I had done nothing to warrant being served up a sir and I really think it was a fuck you because she didn't like doing the gas bottles.

Anyway I think it's funny when girls call each other bro.

NC for bro. You can tell a lot about a person from how they deploy it, and it's good knowledge to have.

seby wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:36 pm “sir”

On the 00s internet it was popular to address someone disparagingly with ”You sir are an idiot”. Never understood what that addition was supposed to do.

kokorodoko wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 7:55 am

seby wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:36 pm “sir”

On the 00s internet it was popular to address someone disparagingly with ”You sir are an idiot”. Never understood what that addition was supposed to do.

It's a Simpson's reference. The joke being that a clown referring to another clown with an honorific, and then "idiot" is pretty silly.


I don't think I ever consider what form of address is being used typically, but the predilection to call my dinner party "guys" when I am dropping three figures on a meal, grates. Call me sir, you fucking slacker. If I'm at a greasy spoon, go nuts. I like sweetie, hon, darlin', sugar...all that stuff is endearing. I'd like to bring back "mack".