Me and Me Mates
If very young people call me 'mate' is it because:
a) I look much younger than I am.
b) It is the only form of address they know.
Today a 16 year old boy in a shop called me 'mate' but the record is held by a 6 year old who bumped into me and said "sorry, mate."
Anyway, after long and careful thought lasting, ooh, all of two minutes, I have decided the answer to my question is (a).
And even when the rest of my hair has fallen out and I can no longer pass as 49 in a bad light, I'd rather the little bastards called me 'mate' than the 'Mister' of days of yore.
Much friendlier, don't you think?
A little rope bridge across the inter-generational divide. A small stick of dynamite up the arse of demographics.........
[That's enough metaphors and verbless sentences - Ed.]
posted by Willie Lupin @ 4:21 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
At least it's not "grandad".
I was called "mate" by a Young Person. Perhaps it's just a term used by young people for males or females regardless of age (that's what I'm trying to convince myself of anyway. Otherwise, I really will have to do something about my facial hair problem and very deep voice).
I tend to agree with you, mate.
What do you call people?
Betty, for a lot of people it seems to be non-gender specific, like the Geordie term 'man'. If someone called me 'grandad' I'd hit them.
vicus, mate, I don't usually use any such term. But I think 'mate' is better than the alternatives: the American 'dude'; 'bruv'; or 'pal' and 'my friend' which are both irritating when used by strangers.
Good rreading your post
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