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Being called buddy, big guy etc. Condescending or endearing?

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Echoenigma said:
I sarcastically call people chief when I am being a smarmy cock.
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This reminded me of something, up on the oil rigs one of the crew leaders had B.F.I. on his coveralls and hard hard. It stood for "big fucking Indian" and he was huge. The funny thing is everyone refereed to him as chief. Now that I think about it I worked with him for 3 months and I have no idea what his actual name was lol
 
DoctorWho said:
I have been a boss but people who call me boss usually don't know me.
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Fair enough maybe you just have that air of authority about you.
I havent been a solider in over 10 years. But every single person I have met ask me if I`m still army. Something about how I walk and hold my shoulders back.
 
I feel it's weird when people call me "boss"

Like I'm sort of plantation slave owner or something. Who the fuck thinks that's an appropriate thing to say?
 
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Seriously though, I don't mind at all.
big guy, boss, whatever.
 
I call everyone dude, guy or girl.

And spending most of my time in Baltimore, I call people "hon" quite a bit. It's usually endearing but it can easily be used condescendingly as well.
 
Greetings, carbon-based life form. According to my calculations, using this term following the common salutation will result in an amicable response from the receiving party.
 
If someone doesn't know my name what else are they going to call me to get my attention ? I don't stress over getting called "Chief" ect at all. Were all in this together.
 
I don't know, but I've always hated being called "dude", "bro" or "man", I'm not either one of these 3 things, just call me by my name or STFU
 
I work in a warehouse as a receiver. I rarely meet the same truck drivers and it's difficult to remember all the names. In my experience, brother and sister are best. Its a display of comradery without asserting power to one or another. We're in it together sort of thing. Boss is used a lot but I tend to take it for sarcasm because I'm younger than most drivers. Otherwise sir and miss are the best for customer service. Older ladies like miss cause it implies youth over something like maam.
 
I hate being called boss. It's so weird. Are you being condescending you fucking asshole? Do I give off this air of superiority or something? Do you say it just because? It's annoying. Some big guy said "thanks boss" after I gave him directions. Fuck that guy.
 
Depends on the context. Talking to just about anyone outside of professional area? Fine. At work, especially to a boss? Probably not. Whatever fits, homeslice.
 
There used to be a woman I worked with who called everyone, male or female, older or younger than her, "sweetie" once she knew them a while. Outside of childhood, I've never been called sweetie, so it felt pretty weird at first, but I didn't really mind. Another female coworker let her know that she didn't want to be called that endearment by sarcastically calling her "sugar".
 
This guy at a recent party referred to the host as "big guy" and it came off as the most awkward out of place thing to me. Not in an offensive way at all, it just felt like a forced method of bonding somehow. Just a weird situation all around.
 
People who call you these names as an habit are not being condescending most of times
ie: Grandma: "Put a sweater or you will get cold, boy"

When people who rarely uses these type of words employs them by putting emphasis of them, then yes, they are trying to be condescending:
Co-worker: "You don't know shit about this, boy"

As always, context and more important, intention is King. You must have some really long stick up your ass if you never consider these two and get automatically riled up when hearing a certain set of words as if you were Pavlov's dog.
 
I admit I call people buddy sometimes. I know I probably shouldn't but it's just something I've been doing all my life so it's hard to break the habit. A telemarketer called me the other day and when I called him buddy he paused for a moment like he was taken aback by it so I'm not sure if he thought I was being a dick or what.
 
If it gets to you it's condescending, if it doesn't it's friendly. Oftentimes, it's on you to decide. I get called a lot of nicknames, and I've found if I go along with them rather than being annoyed, things work out way better. It's just a form of giving people shit. If it annoys you, call them buddy back in a condescending manner, and you'll feel better.
 
Not a big fan of boss or big guy...buddy, pal, etc are fine.

The people who call me boss are often times the skeeziest people. I'd never trust most of them.
 
Anytime a stranger calls me buddy, pal, big guy, boss, etc. I find it condescending every single time. These are terms you use to refer to children -- that Iron Giant video posted previously is right on point. I've noticed that when it happens to me, the people doing it are always men who are taller or bulkier than I am, even if we're around the same age. It feels like they're trying to emasculate me so that they feel more "manly" themselves or some shit. In their eyes, they probably think it's endearing.

Dude, man, and sir are all totally fine.
 
I use mate as a more general term. I'll use it with my actual close friends, but also in general conversation when briefly interacting with someone in a friendly manner.

I view buddy as fairly endearing though, feels like a more informal and relaxed term - and that's pretty key when you're talking about close friends.
 
Axiom said:
As an Australian, Mate is thrown around a lot and it's all about context. I don't mind it at all and it's usually just shorthand to throw into sentences.

However where in the sentence Mate is placed tends to change how serious the context. I

f mate is at the end then it's generally jovial or 'just thrown in', if it's at the start then usually what follows is meant to be taken more seriously.
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"Listen mate....."

Fuck
 
cluto said:
Anytime a stranger calls me buddy, pal, big guy, boss, etc. I find it condescending every single time. These are terms you use to refer to children -- that Iron Giant video posted previously is right on point. I've noticed that when it happens to me, the people doing it are always men who are taller or bulkier than I am, even if we're around the same age. It feels like they're trying to emasculate me so that they feel more "manly" themselves or some shit. In their eyes, they probably think it's endearing.

Dude, man, and sir are all totally fine.
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Dawwwww. Hey hey hey. Calm down big guy.
 
Just give random names.
His name is Chris but you just go like

Hey what up jack
Victor how's it been
Yo Frankilin
etc..
 
Stat Flow said:
On paper, I hate the idea of people calling me "boss"

But when it actually happens and the person is just not really trying to be a certain way and they just say "-------- ---------- boss"

I'm just like "That's right, motherfucker."

But no, I don't give a damn about that kinda stuff.
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lol

I'm in the UK and I love it when people call me "Sir". It's like "damn right! Finally, the respect I deserve" but it's a rarity over here.
 
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