I don't like being called lov, honey, darl, etc. by shop keepers

wasn_me · Guru

RE: I don't like being called lov, honey, darl, etc. by shop keepers

Phil C · Guru

Oh dear, can open, worms everywhere.

I guess the main thing I don't like is when disrespect comes in. We were taught to respect our elders and do the right thing.

Just after my knee replacement I had need to travel on a bus, I had a walking stick and I was somewhat in pain, the disability seats were taken by some young people. I politely asked if I could sit down and was told to get stuffed or similar.

The driver asked the kid to move and I sat down, funny that as soon as I did the other kids moved away as well.

Love, darl, sweety etc IMHO don't show a lot of respect.

Cheers

-- Edited by Phil C on Wednesday 22nd of April 2015 10:03:53 AM

pomme · Senior Member

You know when i travelled around the world and eventually stopped to live in Australia, some forty odd years ago, i thought this was the best country in the world , wide open spaces every body free to do and say as they thought.
In all my working years,apart from a few in service, i have worked in a hospital environment, teaching and working in theatre, intensive care or causality, i was shown respect and gave it from the poorest too the wealthy.
but i don't think i ever worried about a person calling me 'luv", "blue", "mate", "darl", or anything off that nature.
I must be getting old and crotchety.
Pomme.

(P.S also proud to be called a pomme)

pauline · Guru

pomme wrote:
You know when i travelled around the world and eventually stopped to live in Australia, some forty odd years ago, i thought this was the best country in the world , wide open spaces every body free to do and say as they thought.
In all my working years,apart from a few in service, i have worked in a hospital environment, teaching and working in theatre, intensive care or causality, i was shown respect and gave it from the poorest too the wealthy.
but i don't think i ever worried about a person calling me 'luv", "blue", "mate", "darl", or anything off that nature.
I must be getting old and crotchety.
Pomme.

(P.S also proud to be called a pomme)

I always thought it was a friendly way of speaking to people who you did not know their name, never considered it a way of showing disrespect just friendliness, glad that some people feel the same.

usedtobe · Veteran Member

My sentiments exactly Pauline and Pomme....
Henri....

GarrynLyn · Senior Member

Ditto. Luv is a term I use, and I feel it's normal for shop ladies etc to say it to me.

Life's too short to worry about the little things......

Delta18 · Guru

Phil C wrote:

I guess the main thing I don't like is when disrespect comes in. We were taught to respect our elders and do the right thing.

-- Edited by Phil C on Wednesday 22nd of April 2015 10:03:53 AM

I was always taught to respect my elders too but.....it is getting harder & harder to find them!

ken thomas · Guru

When I was young and worked in a butchers shop, everybody was called love or sir or madam as I did not know them and there were more problems with calling women "madam"
than anything else
When I got to know the regulars, it was a first name basis if that is what they wanted
no sign of disrespect
Ken

NeilandRaine · Guru

ken thomas wrote:
When I was young and worked in a butchers shop, everybody was called love or sir or madam as I did not know them and there were more problems with calling women "madam"
than anything else
When I got to know the regulars, it was a first name basis if that is what they wanted
no sign of disrespect
Ken

Funny thing, way back a Female Officer in Australia's defence forces had to be called Madam.

When we went to Vietnam and addressed a yank female office as madam we were told in no uncertain manner a madam runs a brothel. Don't call me madam

Officers in the armed forces are addressed as Sir. Later in a civilian job I addressed a bloke as Sir, his response was " Don't call me sir, I work for a living" He was an ex serviceman.

So I guess it is all in the eyes of the beer holder. I love being addressed as mate, luv, dear, hunny or Darl. To me they are terms of endearment and friendship

-- Edited by NeilandRaine on Thursday 23rd of April 2015 09:24:34 PM

ken thomas · Guru

As you say in the eye of the beholder
I still use those terms and open doors etc and have not offended anybody yet to my knowledge ( what they say behind my back may be different )
Ken

george57 · Senior Member

With a face like a half eaten pastie and leading a dog that smells and passes wind.....Im glad people talk to me and I get a buz when endearing terms such as luv, darls, mate, and of course "what a lovely dog you have"....are used.

Perhaps as I get older I will sour....hope not!!!

Cheers
George & Fatdog

pomme · Senior Member

George57,
Were they looking down when they said "What a lovely dog you have".
Perhaps as i am old i am sour. ( joke)
Pomme.

Wizardofoz · Guru

The around 30 lady behind the cash register at my local Coles always calls everybody 'darls', I must admit it does grind on me a bit hearing this young woman say "Hello Darls" ever timein her heavy aussie dialogue.

-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Monday 27th of April 2015 12:48:14 PM

Bevandy2 · Senior Member

It's just an "Australianism", they mean well and it's a sign of friendliness, eg how many of you have been offended by Dame Edna's "Hullo Possums"?
Do you jump up and say "Don't call me a possum!"

I've been called most of those things many a time, mostly by mature age ladies, all in good fun and friendly, with the blokes it's mostly mate, which is fine, we're Aussies and that's what we do.

Always careful with the young chicks, I have never been called any of those things by the youngsters, they are too polite, more inhibited, I have found always very courteous to us old buggers, I usually respond with something off handed like "thank ya maam" or "m'dear" always found taken in good fun, read the banter and act accordingly.

All good fun and part of the travel experience.

May it never cease,

Bevan
PS, we once called into Barclay Roadhouse, I was wearing a work shirt my kids had given me in Katherine with my name on it. The lovely young Irish back packer behind the counter took my money and said "thank you Bevan"
I said "wha... you know my name?"
She replied "It's on your shirt, silly!" We both had a good laugh and sucker for a pretty face I bought a NT Outback coffee mug from her. Now I think of her with every cup of coffee.