Maybe in pre-war black and white Ealing comedy movies they did.
I've lived in London since I was a toddler, and I've never heard it there.
The only time I've heard anything like that, was in the Derby or Nottingham area, and then it was 'me duck' not me old duck.
I'm disappointed now! I thought you were totally French and would have a wonderful accent.
And yes, I was pretty certain 'me duck' was Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire/Deryshire in use.
I say mate to others but Mrs g, thinks its very common sounding , and she is trying to get me to stop, what would your middle/upper class person say, "chum'?
Call me traditional, but when addressing people I don't know, "sir" and "madam" are perfectly adequate. "mate" imposes a sort of unrequited level of familiarity....It feels slightly passive-aggressive.
Call me traditional, but when addressing people I don't know, "sir" and "madam" are perfectly adequate. "mate" imposes a sort of unrequited level of familiarity....It feels slightly passive-aggressive.
I have an intense dislike of the term 'madam' and usually reply 'if I were a Madam I'd be rich' I know, however, that there isn't much else to be called by a stranger as a female other than Miss, and presumably my age precludes me from being assumed to be a miss.
Mate always implies, to me at least, a general friendliness rather than aggressiveness. I don't mind it at all. I imagine it all depends upon the circumstances in which it's being used though.
I have an intense dislike of the term 'madam' and usually reply 'if I were a Madam I'd be rich' I know, however, that there isn't much else to be called by a stranger as a female other than Miss, and presumably my age precludes me from being assumed to be a miss.
Mate always implies, to me at least, a general friendliness rather than aggressiveness. I don't mind it at all. I imagine it all depends upon the circumstances in which it's being used though.
So, you take "madam" to have a brothel connotation, yet you don't infer "mate" to be someone with whom you are engaging in coitus?
I am female but really like being called 'mate' by [some] guys (assuming they actually are people that I know!). Never been called that by any of my female friends. I think for me it really does depend on the person though. The person I like has always used the terms 'baby' and 'darling', and from most people I dislike that but from him...
So, you take "madam" to have a brothel connotation, yet you don't infer "mate" to be someone with whom you are engaging in coitus?
No I don't take madam to automatically have a brothel connotation, I make a joke cause I hate the word It usually gets a smile at least, it's nice having a light moment with whoever has called me madam. I'd be an arse to take it all too seriously now, wouldn't I
Being female, people rarely call me mate - my brother calls me mate occasionally; he calls everybody mate! I get 'love' a lot, mostly from plumbers and various other contractors.
It's used quite a lot in and around the Southern city I'm now living in, I don't use it myself though as I'm from the North West where we use other expressions.
A man at work calls me mush and it's not only English people who use mate, a Romanian usually gives me a lift into work and whenever I get into his car he always greets me with "alright mate?.
I don't mind being called love by a female, would think it strange if a man used it though.
I call my wife 'mate' and my kids 'mush' in a kind of ironic way. I don't and wouldn't actually call anyone those terms seriously as if I knew them and they were my mate, I'd call them by their name, and if I didn't know them, I wouldn't call them anything at all.
There's a bloke at work who calls everyone 'chap' which bugs the hell out of me.
Worst still is if a policeman calls you mate. And it does happen. I've heard it.
Me too, but what about the other way round?
I was on a pub crawl once, in a Town Centre, and one of our party was a bit loud.
Two Police Officers came over and one took him aside, to have a word with him, but he started arguing "I'm only singing and enjoying myself. Not causing any trouble" etc.
The other officer, waiting with us, said to me "If he doesn't shut up he'll get arrested"
I said "Sorry Mate, we'll keep him in order"
"I AM NOT YOUR MATE" I got back in return, a trifle too aggressively for the situation I thought.
I've never called a Policeman 'Mate' since and it jars when they do to me.
Mind you I can't stand 'Sir' either.
I use Buddy or Chief, Marra is popular up in this neck of the woods (Geordie for Mate).
Isn't Cock a popular term somewhere? (Manchester?), I heard a story about an episode of Coronation Street where Vera gave Jack a cup of tea accompanied with the words 'get your lips around that, cock' 😁😁😁 probably an apocryphal story...
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Bud and Buddy are used over here also.
I don't drink tea.
My nan used to say "Alright duckie" or "Alright me ducks"....
I miss it now
Was he a Conservative?
Which is why I've always thought it sounded awful when women adopt the expression as well!
I had a fairly upper class friend years ago, and she wouldn't have been the type to call "mate" to anyone, but she would have said "matey" instead...
As in "Hello matey". It sort of worked and did sound a lot better and nicer than just "mate"....
I'm disappointed now! I thought you were totally French and would have a wonderful accent.
And yes, I was pretty certain 'me duck' was Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire/Deryshire in use.
Worse!
You mean Red Fred ,I don't think so ?
"mate" traditionally means sexual partner. I'd never call a friend "mate".
Call me traditional, but when addressing people I don't know, "sir" and "madam" are perfectly adequate. "mate" imposes a sort of unrequited level of familiarity....It feels slightly passive-aggressive.
Mate always implies, to me at least, a general friendliness rather than aggressiveness. I don't mind it at all. I imagine it all depends upon the circumstances in which it's being used though.
So, you take "madam" to have a brothel connotation, yet you don't infer "mate" to be someone with whom you are engaging in coitus?
Being female, people rarely call me mate - my brother calls me mate occasionally; he calls everybody mate! I get 'love' a lot, mostly from plumbers and various other contractors.
A man at work calls me mush and it's not only English people who use mate, a Romanian usually gives me a lift into work and whenever I get into his car he always greets me with "alright mate?.
I don't mind being called love by a female, would think it strange if a man used it though.
Why would they. The word has multiple meanings.
Yes, as does "madam". It has served perfectly well as a form of address for women for centuries. I'm not sure what the objection would be, that's all.
There's a bloke at work who calls everyone 'chap' which bugs the hell out of me.
Me too, but what about the other way round?
I was on a pub crawl once, in a Town Centre, and one of our party was a bit loud.
Two Police Officers came over and one took him aside, to have a word with him, but he started arguing "I'm only singing and enjoying myself. Not causing any trouble" etc.
The other officer, waiting with us, said to me "If he doesn't shut up he'll get arrested"
I said "Sorry Mate, we'll keep him in order"
"I AM NOT YOUR MATE" I got back in return, a trifle too aggressively for the situation I thought.
I've never called a Policeman 'Mate' since and it jars when they do to me.
Mind you I can't stand 'Sir' either.
Maybe I need to grow a set.
I use Buddy or Chief, Marra is popular up in this neck of the woods (Geordie for Mate).
Isn't Cock a popular term somewhere? (Manchester?), I heard a story about an episode of Coronation Street where Vera gave Jack a cup of tea accompanied with the words 'get your lips around that, cock' 😁😁😁 probably an apocryphal story...