We get it almost all the time while going through the drive-through. Although most of the time it's said to my Mom who's much older than the person saying it. A little odd to say the least.
Sweetie, dear, hon, love
- Thread starter Miss Chicken
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Oy. Your experience of Baltimore appears to have been quite limited, geographically. Just off the top of my head, I've heard "Hon" used in north Baltimore (Cafe Hon and the Hon Festival are in Hampden) and in eastern Baltimore County. And who knows where else.
I don't drive, so I just went where I could walk. Never spent time in the County unless I was flying in / out of BWI. I just stayed in the City.
i've been called "hon" "sweetie" and similar countless times on the phone with older, generally Southern women (i.e. customer service reps) who probably thought i sounded like a ten year old girl. Used to drive me crazy.
My younger brother likes to call me 'hon' but thats an old family joke.
My younger brother likes to call me 'hon' but thats an old family joke.
One of my coworkers (a woman in her sixties) calls everyone dear. It's unfortunately contagious. A lot of women refer to me as 'love'. Of course, where I work we tend to spend a lot of time doting on people, so they get attached to us.
My Uncle Mike, the youngest of my Uncles, gets called "Lovey."
"Bless your heart" then trnslates into "you poor idiot."
Apparently, Sir Edward Ross doesn't like to be called sweetie either. (Or Eddie-Baby...)
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This, context is absolutely key. There are parts of the UK where far from being sexist, offensive or patronising calling someone of the opposite sex "love" "duck", or similar is de rigeur. In fact I can genuinely imagine some contexts where not doing so would raise eyebrows and create a perception of being aloof or standoffish, especially if the other party initiated the exchange on those terms.
It used to be quite common for men to be addressed by middle-aged women from Bristol (in England) as "my lover" without any hint of an actual sexual relationship being forthcoming.
I think you may have simply been missing openings......
No one ever calls me sweetie unless they're called Edina.
I find it uncomfortable when anyone calls me 'mate'. Men call other men 'mate'. When a female calls me mate, and I'm a female, it isn't offensive but is a little common. Don't ever call me 'dude', I'm nobody's dude ..
I find it uncomfortable when anyone calls me 'mate'. Men call other men 'mate'. When a female calls me mate, and I'm a female, it isn't offensive but is a little common. Don't ever call me 'dude', I'm nobody's dude ..
Only when drunk. Second try's the charm...
It's not restricted to Bristol really, but Somerset too and has to be said in the local, very farmer/rural sounding accent which is something I do not have.
I was in a Tesco Metro earlier here in Temple Bar, Dublin and one of the staff in the broadest Lancashire accent called me "Love" when I needed verification on a product, it made me chuckle and think of this thread.
That's nice, love.
That's a bit like American men who are casual acquaintances -- or even total strangers -- calling each other "brother," "buddy" or "pal." That sort of thing seems to be on its way out, though.
Did she take offence at your sudden unexplained and inappropriate laughter?
Just wondering?
She didn't seem too. I apologised and mumbled something or other.
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