Ay up, me duck ...

[thirdcrank]

.... and other forms of address.

I've been called all sorts in my time so I'm generally not too bothered what I'm called. Recently, I find I'm being called "young man" in circumstances that irritate me. Once upon a time it was a patronising way of referring to juniors, both in age and status. Now, as an old man, I find younger people are calling me "young man" in what seems a patronising way. A little while ago, a rather bossy assistant in a Leeds branch of Boots (possibly training to be an NHS receptionist) was taken aback when I demurred. Today a colleague (one of theirs, not mine) in Sainsbury's almost bowled me over in his hurry to get somewhere and muttered "sorry, young man" without slowing down.

Another sign that I'm becoming an even grumpier old git.

(And before anybody asks, in the unlikely event that I should ever meet Dolly Parton, I'd not mind what for of address she used )

[ferrit worrier]

I don't mind what I'm called, just please don't call me late for my tea

[Mike Sales]

I'm getting this too, and it annoys me as well. I am certainly a grumpy old man, and used to be a grumpy young one. I found being addressed as Squire or Guv when I was a car park attendant irksome. I guess we can look forward to being called Grandad by nurses.

[Psamathe]

Had some builders in earlier this year. I was working with them (providing manual labour to monitor what was actually happening and speed things being done with an extra pair of hands). And the senior of the two builders had the intensely irritating habit of calling me (and everybody else) "boy". I endured as I just wanted the work done quickly (time and materials costs).

And manu years ago, when I first moved to Oxford, at the scuba diving club and this "built like a prop forward" guy behind the bar starts calling me "my duck". Being unaware it was a Oxford area thing I was a bit taken aback.

Ian

[Paulatic]

Oxford area?
I used to visit my Aunty Molly just outside of Doncaster and we were all ' ma ducks'

[Flinders]

'M' duck' seems to be Midlands, though more in the east midlands, in my experience.

[Vorpal]

In general, I don't like being addressed in a familiar way (luv, duck, deary, etc.) by strangers, but I'd far rather that than the cold callers who address me by my first name. I'd rather be ducky!

[oldmanonabike]

I've been a "Bonny Lad" in County Durham for the last 68 years or as many of them as I can Remember

[Mike Sales]

'M' duck' seems to be Midlands, though more in the east midlands, in my experience.

I have a little book with the title "Ay up, me duck". Its about the dialect of Pinxton, where some of my ancestors lived. Pinxton is a few miles north of Nottingham on the Erewash.

[Mike Sales]

When I was ten, and about to return to this country and to Pinxton, I asked my mother what England was like. She told me that when you meet someone you say "Owdo?" and they reply "Fair to middlin."

[Tangled Metal]

I know a Barrovian born and half bred. He greets with "how tha' diddlin'?" To which the accepted reply was "fair to middlin'!" or at least that is what you got back if you asked how he was doing. He had a few other localisms including counting in the yan, tan, tethera format too. Apparently in the areas around Barrow the older sheep farmers (of whom my mate knows a few) still count their sheep that way. That counting form has equivalents right across the north and into north wales I think. Some believe it to be a linguistic artifact from an old Celtic language kind of like Omric. Omric I believe is the old language of tribal grouping in NW England down to north Wales (main centre is Lancashire) and across to northumberland too IIRC. It is believed to be the origins of old welsh which became new welsh still spoken now. The route to modern Welsh is via the Celtic "family" who spoke Omric fleeing their stronger enemies fled south to north Wales to settle there. Or at least that is what I got told from an amateur Celtic language historian I once met.

I personally love the old dialects and believe they are as important to record and even maintain as wild animals. Well perhaps not quite but I believe we should record them and keep them going as much as possible. They are more colourful than any modern dialect coming through. I mean "innit" is nothing when compared to an old Geordie in full dialect. Or an old Yorkshire farmer met in a local pub that you really just can not understand about 25% of his utterances.

[simonineaston]

back last year, I began working with a team who consistently address each other as "buddy", with no let up... eugh!

[ambodach]

Being referred to as " mate " by people you do not know is irritating. Also the effusive greetings enquiring after your health by complete strangers particularly checkout operators who persist until they get an answer.

[rjb]

I was taken aback by a PC in Scotland when I asked for directions to our accommodation. He kept calling me "Pal" Is this common north of the border? I would rather have been called "Jimmy" which happened in the North East.

[ambodach]

Pal is not uncommon in parts of Scotland. Mainly around central belt I think. We have Jocks,Paddys and Taffys. What are the English called? I have never been particularly bothered being called Jock but why is it so offensive to use a diminutive when referring to the proprietors of some corner shops and restaurants? I used to do business with some in the wholesale trade and mostly they were not bothered either. There is a shop in Troon in Ayrshire which is causing much offence in the offence taking camp by selling Gol---gs as in the jam jar type.Tut tut.