The use of endearments: Sweety, Dear, Honey, etcetera...

[BikeWriter]

I am the World's worst about this and don't mean to offend anyone...

[progmom]

1. I have no problem with it!

Sweetie pie!

[BikeWriter]

6. Thank you, Sweety. I use such as that all the time in R/L. :-)

[PartyPooper]

2. I'd prefer being called PartyPooper.

:D

:hi:

[BikeWriter]

10. Okay, I wouldn't call you anything else without knowing you better. :-)

[coloradodem2005]

3. I find it endearing most of the time.

[BikeWriter]

11. Way cool, Pard! :-)

[MrScorpio]

4. When I do it...

I do it with love!

[BikeWriter]

12. Oh, I've already seen how you are, my Friend! :-)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. It depends on the situation....

I take offense when it's done in a patronizing fashion. But there are other times when it's fine.

[BikeWriter]

14. Thank you, I feel the same way. :-)

[Straight Shooter]

7. It depends on the situation.

I have a tendency to call my friends "Sweetie" from time to time, but not strangers or casual acquaintances.

I'm usually not offended by strangers addressing me with endearments now and then, because I figure it's a result of their upbringing, but if I ask someone to stop and they don't, then I get offended.

[BikeWriter]

15. Hmm, yes, I was raised by a Southern Mom, who did it all the time.

[MADem]

8. Definitely OTHER

Hugely useful when you do not remember the person's NAME....Why, hello, DEAR....!

[BikeWriter]

17. Way cool. That's the way I am. :-)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. Thanks for the great idea!

I can hide my senility for a few more years! :beer:

[BikeWriter]

21. ROFLMFBO! :-)

[MADem]

23. For your tough guy fellows, you can call them

"Champ" or "Sport." People always like a well-placed endearment--it makes them feel special (and hides a tempermental memory!).

[BikeWriter]

24. Yep, if done right it can be a boost. :-)

[samplegirl]

9. Guilty

I use these words sincerely and affectionately with people all the
time.

[BikeWriter]

18. A Lady I can agree with. :-)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. Doesn't bother me in the least.

Whenever I use them it's sincere and meant as a symbol of caring.

[BikeWriter]

20. Uh huh, Sweety, and you are from Texas as am I. :-)

[alarimer]

16. It depends

Mostly on who is saying. A close friend or family member it is usually okay. From a boss, not so much.

[BikeWriter]

22. Yes, you don't want it to be condescending, am I correct?

[alarimer]

34. well I was thinking it could amount to sexual harrassment

if it came from a boss or even a co-worker. Just inappropriate actually.

[BikeWriter]

35. Possibly for the workplace. I never got familiar with a female...

...coworker unless I'd known them for years.

[Runcible Spoon]

25. Radical Activist hates it when I call him sunshine or sugarbear

heehee!

[BikeWriter]

36. ROFLMFBO! Good for you! :-)

[jdots]

26. it beats being called shit for brains or dude

call me snookums or hon anyday,sugar booger is nice along with meat puppet ,stud muffin and love god.

[BikeWriter]

54. ROFLOL!

[Hardrada]

27. I got too old for people to call me "son"

Except for my dad who still does. I don't hear people being called "chief" or "buster" much anymore. Or "Pud" either. "Darling" seems kind of obsolete now also.

[BikeWriter]

56. I call several of my closest young Friends and Nephews Son,...

but it's because I think of them as such. Otherwise I think that too can be used condescendingly.

[Withywindle]

28. They slip out...

I've lived in Chicago for 13 years but you can't take ALL of me out of the south....


Cool for friends and loved ones. Not so cool for strangers, although of course ladies of a certain age get a free pass.

[NuttyFluffers]

29. oh love em! even better if nonsensical or in alliteration.

aka. oh come here, my beloved bellicose babushka. smoochie, woochie, oochums! go get sweet lil' stubby toe so i can go gooshy mushy on sugar snookems. aww there's a beautiful booby bear, what a doll...

i'm gonna love my senile years. :-p

[Nicole]

30. I like it most of the time

It's a common thing here. I especially like it when elderly ladies, who are just dripping with sugar, call me sweety or honey. It's just so damn cute. :)

[leftofthedial]

31. Sugar Booger

is my fave

[fleabert]

32. world's BEST, darlin', stay positive!

'sweetcheeks' is my fave...along with 'hot-pants'.

(and I was born in TX, btw, honey pot.)

[BikeWriter]

53. Hee hee hee! Thank you, Dear. :-)

[Seabiscuit]

33. Try some Madeira, my dear.

[MissMillie]

37. No, my first name is not "baby....

...it's Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty."

[BikeWriter]

48. Uh, how about Ma'am?

[Bouncy Ball]

38. Depends on the context, but being from the south, I

don't bat an eye at it.

I'll never forget a teacher I once worked with. She was from New Hampshire or Connecticut or one of those little New Englandey states, and she told me one time "I cannot BELIEVE these teachers call the students 'sweetie' and 'honey' and stuff." She was INCENSED. She said it was totally inappropriate. I was sort of bowled over. I never noticed it. Heck, I probably did it without even thinking. Everyone's sweetie or hon.

[BikeWriter]

41. Yes'm, and it rolls right out of our mouths without ever meaning...

any offense at all! ;)

[jswordy]

39. "Hun" is one of the best things about life in the South! n/t

[BikeWriter]

42. Thank you, Pard. :-)

[flordehinojos]

40. i once knew someone who hid a lot of vinegar behind the words "sweetie",

and so, having experienced the incongruence, i often wonder what is really behind, "Sweety", "Dear", "Honey", etc.

[BikeWriter]

43. Those types can never carry it off! ;-(

[Hardrada]

58. I'm aiming at you, lover.

Not so endearing. -The Lady from Shanghai. Orson Welles flick.

[Left Is Write]

44. It all depends on the tone.

If I'm in a debate with someone who holds a dim view of my position, and he or she uses the word "sweetie" or "honey", I will assume a patronizing tone.

If I post that I broke a finger by smashing it in a car door, and someone uses the word "sweetie" or "honey", I will assume a sympathetic, caring tone.

[politicat]

45. I have no problem with it....

I have far greater problems with people who don't make exceptions for others' upbringing and culture and get offended at it, or worse, become bellicose or vituperative over it. The reaction is usually far out of proportion to the offense, in that the offense is innocent, well-meaning and a cultural artifact, while the response is often quite abusive and rude.

I tend to put those who react so coarsely on ignore, be it literal in the Web world, or figurative, in the real world. If such little things are going to set them off, why do I want to continue to communicate with them? Who knows what other things will put them in a rage?

And condescension can come without terms of affection. In my life, it usually doesn't involved terms of affection; it involves posture, body language and expressions.

[DinahMoeHum]

46. I've done business with a gentleman in the UK who called me "love".

as in "How are you, love?"

Being that he was British with that ability to not take things toooo seriously, I took no offense. In fact, I'd end the calls with "Ta Ta" !!


:evilgrin:

[JimmyJazz]

47. I do it here all the time.

I'm sorry if it offends anyone. I've never used it to be condescending, though.

[BikeWriter]

49. Yes'm, and you come off natural doing it. One more reason you're a...

HoneyBun. :)

[JimmyJazz]

52. That picture is making me hungry!

Thanks for the kind words :* and :hug:

[BikeWriter]

59. You're welcome, Jazz. :-)

Those honeybuns are pretty good with coffee or milk. :)

[SarahB]

50. Baby!

:)

[BikeWriter]

57. Sweety! :-)

[Deep13]

51. I don't want to hear that ...

... from anyone I'm not married to. It is an unwelcomed level of familiarity from strangers. Not everyone in the world is my friend and that is no insult, just a fact. It is rude to talk to strangers or customers etc. as though they were friends. I find the assumed use of first names, or worse, nicknames, to be insulting.

[bigwillq]

55. I use them with people I know

all the time! I don't mind if people use them while speaking to me either.

[haele]

60. I never thought "sweetheart" or "Dear" were particularly endearing -

And honey or "hon" sounded like I was talking to a child. In fact, I thought they sounded downright awkward to use with a "boyfriend" and didn't really feel comfortable saying or hearing them - until I met my husband.

Seemed those words fit him and our relationship.

Strange.

Haele

[ScreamingMeemie]

61. Well, MrG calls me "hon" when he really pissed at me so...

I don't know what to think, babycakes. :hi:

[gyopsy]

62. Strange

Especially if you don't know the person. Seems kind of forced to me. But I'm weird.