"Mate"

[Prizam]

Why on earth, when someone is being aggressive towards you do they always start by saying "mate"?

I'm not your friend, your pal or buddy.

It happens on threads here too, and I just don't get it. Is it some kind of passive-aggressive take on the situation?

[PAULJ5555]

MATE FEFFING CALM DOWN WILL YOU.


In the Welsh valleys they call you BUTT not mate.

[MECHENG84]

Calm down mate!

[anonymous-user]

Don't watch anything with Henry Cole in it. It's every other word

[anonymous-user]

[J4CKO]

I always find its "Pal" that suggests a kicking is coming your way more than mate.

[valiant]

If I call you mate it’s not because I want to fight, it’s because I’ve forgotten your name!

which has on occasion, very nearly ended up in a fight

[Zetec-S]

Don't mind "mate", but getting called "my friend" by some random fks me right off.

[PositronicRay]

J4CKO said:

I always find its "Pal" that suggests a kicking is coming your way more than mate.

Does it happen to you a lot fella?

[grumbledoak]

Nah. "Pal" and "Friend" are warnings. "Mate" just means they don't know your name.

[Palooka]

"You calling me a liar pal?" The six worst words to ever hear in a Glasgow pub!

[Roofless Toothless]

I was buying a new DVD player at Curry's last week and the lad behind the counter called me 'fella'.

I was tempted to walk out. In my day, customers were called 'sir'.

[TR4man]

Be grateful that you don't work in the Potteries, took me sometime to be comfortable with male Stokies calling me "duck".

[InitialDave]

Roofless Toothless said:

I was buying a new DVD player at Curry's last week and the lad behind the counter called me 'fella'.

I was tempted to walk out. In my day, customers were called 'sir'.

If I call someone "sir", that probably translates as "back the fk off, sunshine".

I really don't mind much how people address me as long as it's friendly.

[warch]

Pal never sounds friendly to me. I don't mind mate depending on the context. Sir is fine but smacks rather of trained in customer service rather than genuine respect.

[67Dino]

Here in the West Country it’s not unusual for the lady behind the counter in a shop or petrol station to address you as “my lover”. Not at all threatening unless you’re with your wife, and she isn’t from the West Country...

[Biker's Nemesis]

Its "marra" up this end of England.

[PositronicRay]

Roofless Toothless said:

I was buying a new DVD player at Curry's last week and the lad behind the counter called me 'fella'.

I was tempted to walk out. In my day, customers were called 'sir'.

Oi pal, who uses dvds these days?

[Ken Figenus]

Cops call crims who are kicking off 'mate' all the time. Gets my goat! Next thing they will be letting in shortarses with excessive tats and letting them not wear helmets as it ruins the gel on their £60 haircuts - ohh and they seem to be getting younger every day too

Someone was 'round the house giving a quote the other day and called me 'dude'. She didn't get the job.

Other than that I'm 100% cool with these things, butt

[KP328]

warch said:

Pal never sounds friendly to me. I don't mind mate depending on the context. Sir is fine but smacks rather of trained in customer service rather than genuine respect.

The only time i have ever been called Sir is by very helpful people from India phoning to tell me i have an issue with my computer and are willing to fix it.