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Saying "dude" ?


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I was at a homeschool activity yesterday and noticed 2 moms using the word "dude" in conversation. Then, I also noticed their children saying "dude" this and "dude" that.

 

I'm wondering what you all think when you hear that word in conversation? :bigear:

 

I agree it grates. I don't find it offensive....just overused and annoying. I limit my son's use of the word. By limit I mean I don't forbid the use of the word, but when I hear him talking to his friends or step-brothers and he uses it over. and over...I point it out to him. That he sounds lacking in vocabulary skills. ;)

 

Oh and also, the TONE matters...if they use it sounding like Spinellie....Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High....then I feel my spine stiffen. LOL

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We use it all the time around here.

 

Is it offensive?

 

It's one of those things - it might bother some people, but not others. It's certainly not a "bad word" in the sense of 'cursing' and such, but some people don't like informal 'slang' stuff.

 

I'd classify it with stuff like "that sucks". (which also doesn't bother ME personally)

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I don't think anything...

 

It's not a "bad word" or anything... just an informal word for 'man' - kinda like "guy" or "fella" or "buddy". :)

 

:iagree: I grew up in the 80s, where it was really overused. I use in casual speech (probably thanks to Hurley from Lost), as in "Dude, you cut me off!" as I talk to the drivers around me. That example is from yesterday.

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:iagree: I grew up in the 80s, where it was really overused. I use in casual speech (probably thanks to Hurley from Lost), as in "Dude, you cut me off!" as I talk to the drivers around me. That example is from yesterday.

 

"Dude. The light ain't gonna get any greener."

 

yeah I talk to other drivers too. :p

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:iagree: I grew up in the 80s, where it was really overused. I use in casual speech (probably thanks to Hurley from Lost), as in "Dude, you cut me off!" as I talk to the drivers around me. That example is from yesterday.

 

I don't say anything nearly that nice when people cut me off. ;)

 

I don't ever hear "dude" in casual conversation around here by adults unless its in a mocking/silly way. I guess it might throw me off seeing an adult woman use it in a serious way but it wouldn't bother me. I tend to be fairly casual in my speech and use "guys" a lot.

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It's one of those things - it might bother some people, but not others. It's certainly not a "bad word" in the sense of 'cursing' and such, but some people don't like informal 'slang' stuff.

 

I'd classify it with stuff like "that sucks". (which also doesn't bother ME personally)

 

 

The word "dude" defined is the little hairs around a horses' anus and also refers to what sticks to said little hairs. When people began using it, it was definitely a derogatory term.

 

In the days when this term first surfaced, it was like calling someone a s&*#head. Maybe in a hundred years or so people will think s&*#head is funny, too.

Edited by Bev in B'ville
just to be contrary
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I always thought a dude was a guy. It just sounds especially weird to me when someone refers to a female as "dude".

 

I was at the library once and two tween boys were trying to get their mom's attention as she browsed. Those boys called her, "Dude!" about 20 times.

 

:001_huh:

 

She was in that 'looking for a good library book zone' and didn't even respond to them.

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I use it when speaking to my boys. It isn't intentional but I find I use it when I am calling them out on something but not feeling angry or confrontational.

 

"Dude, I know you said you brushed your teeth but I'm not buying it. Go brush your teeth."

 

"Dude, you were supposed to be in bed an hour ago."

 

"Dude, I need that trash taken out. Thanks!"

 

In a way I think my kids take it to mean that I'm serious but not mad.

 

I've never analyzed my use of the word "dude" before.:tongue_smilie:

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It's one of those things - it might bother some people, but not others. It's certainly not a "bad word" in the sense of 'cursing' and such, but some people don't like informal 'slang' stuff.

 

I'd classify it with stuff like "that sucks". (which also doesn't bother ME personally)

 

:iagree: It doesn't bother me, but I personally don't use the word. I've discouraged my dc from using it as well. After hearing it used frequently yesterday I was curious as to what others thought. I'm not used to hearing it used in conversation

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I think it's kind of funny and friendly. Remember when Aubrey used it in her example of a man and a lifeboat in the health care discussion? It gets attention but is respectful at the same time, imo.

 

*I* don't remember that, lol! I was just reading the thread to decide whether or not to admit to using the word on occasion. I guess I've already outed myself. :D But my usage of the word is rare & generally private. (I would have said always private, but...apparently not.) :001_huh:

 

As long as this is a confessional box, I've also started calling dh P-Dog. Why? I guess the title Senor Da Vinci is vacationing for the winter. I call people random things, but since jr high, I've limited that habit to...well, actually, only dh. So I guess he brings out the jr high school kid in me. (And in jr high, it was really just one kid who I called "George." Lest y'all think I was saying P-Dog & dude in jr. high. I had more class than that back then.) :lol:

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I use "dude" to refer to my boys in the place where others (in this region, anyway) would say "bud/buddy"-- a word I personally dislike, together with "little man" and the word "sissy" especially when used to substitute for "sister." My dss both use the word to refer to little guys, like Lego dudes, eg. It is a fine word in our house.

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We use it all the time, and it is genderless in application here.

 

For *us*, it's casual, fun and lighthearted.

 

Dude.

 

:iagree: DH and I probably use it more often than the DC. I don't hear it in common usage around here, but I probably picked it up when I lived in LA, and DH maybe when he lived in Hawaii. All of my younger sisters raised in Florida use it a ton.

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We don't say it and I've actually never heard anyone say it in real life, only on television. I honestly thought it was just a silly thing Hollywood was trying to push on everyone, :lol:.

 

I now see I'm wrong about that ;), but it still makes my ears hurt when I hear it and I'm glad no one in my house uses it.

 

Not that we're anywhere near perfect. We do say "that sucks" an awful lot around here . . . so . . . don't get the wrong impression or anything. We just don't say "dude.":tongue_smilie:

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The word "dude" defined is the little hairs around a horses' anus. When people began using it' date=' it was definitely a derogatory term.[/quote']

 

Source?

 

This is from Dictionary.com:

 

dude |doōd| informal

noun

a man; a guy : if some dude smacked me, I'd smack him back.

• a stylish, fastidious man : cool dudes. [ORIGIN: a slang term that came into vogue in New York c. 1883, in connection with the ‘aesthetic’ craze of the period.]

• a city-dweller, esp. one vacationing on a ranch in the western U.S.

verb [ intrans. ] ( dude up)

dress up elaborately : [as adj. ] ( duded) my brother was all duded up in silver and burgundy.

DERIVATIVES

dudish adjective

ORIGIN late 19th cent.: probably from German dialect Dude ‘fool.’

 

And this is from Merriam-Webster online:

 

Definition of DUDE

1

: a man extremely fastidious in dress and manner : dandy

2

: a city dweller unfamiliar with life on the range; especially : an Easterner in the West

3

: fellow, guy —sometimes used informally as a term of address <hey, dude, what's up>

— dud·ish \ˈd(y)üd-ish\ adjective

— dud·ish·ly adverb

See dude defined for English-language learners »

Examples of DUDE

 

1. <a dude given to sporting expensive suits and flashy jewelry>

2. <OK, dude, whatever you say.>

 

Origin of DUDE

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1883

 

Other sources here and here

Edited by Old Dominion Heather
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I use it when I'm being goofy. It reminds me of being in high school and watching Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. When I'm feeling like a goofy high school boy, that's when I use it.

 

Like the pp who said they'll use it for things like, "Dude! You cut me off!" That's when I'd use it.

 

But I like being goofy.

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Guest RecumbentHeart

I don't think anything of it unless it's accidentally coming out of DHs mouth while speaking to me or the children start saying it frequently or when speaking to adults. My BiL who is only 20 uses it a lot.

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I use it when I'm being goofy. It reminds me of being in high school and watching Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. When I'm feeling like a goofy high school boy, that's when I use it.

 

Like the pp who said they'll use it for things like, "Dude! You cut me off!" That's when I'd use it.

 

But I like being goofy.

 

Yes, this describes my usage of the word perfectly.

 

I don't get why it would be annoying to people, but I guess everyone has their quirks. I'm glad it doesn't bother me, though, because my daughter just taught my 2yo to say it. :tongue_smilie:

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"Dude. The light ain't gonna get any greener."

 

yeah I talk to other drivers too. :p

 

I'm more like:

 

"That's the only green you're gonna get, $%^&^%$!"

 

Me: "Are you waiting for a particular shade of green, #%$&^@ ?" :D

 

:lol:

 

"Are you waiting on a personal invitation?!?"

 

or, the one my dear father taught me (whose most quoted phrase is "Well crap, son.")

 

"It's the one on the right, stupid!"

 

 

But dude, like, whatever.

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I'd classify it with stuff like "that sucks". (which also doesn't bother ME personally)

 

I guess I would never classify it the same as "sucks". I hate "sucks". Even if I can get the filthy allusion out of my head, it has such a cynical tone to it. We don't allow that "s" word in my house, nor the other one, for that matter.

 

However, "dude" in casual conversation is much more friendly and positive. It usually speaks of inclusiveness. almost like an inside joke or a nick-name. At least, this is how I have heard it referenced.

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I guess I would never classify it the same as "sucks". I hate "sucks". Even if I can get the filthy allusion out of my head, it has such a cynical tone to it. We don't allow that "s" word in my house, nor the other one, for that matter.

 

However, "dude" in casual conversation is much more friendly and positive. It usually speaks of inclusiveness. almost like an inside joke or a nick-name. At least, this is how I have heard it referenced.

 

:iagree:

 

I call my male students "dude" all the time. They think it's great fun. :D I use it in the "duuuude" way, which means you're being slow or silly. My dd use it in the same way with ds: "Duuude, you forgot to pick your undies up off the bathroom floor.", etc.

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It doesn't bother me, I use it in traffic too:D or when one of the kids is getting a 'tude. I can lightly say "Dude, chill out." I don't usually use it in regular conversation though.

IMO swearing is way more grating, dude.;)

 

ROFL - right there with you, dude. :D We don't use it to excess, but it does have it's place in our vocab.

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We, like, totally said "dude" all the time when we were in jr. high, in the '80s, when everything was all rad and awesome. No horses' butt hairs about it. (Eww! Gag me with a spoon.) "Dude" has, like, way too many grammatical uses for me to give it up completely. It's like, way less annoying for me than saying "like" all the time, which I totally still do way too often, like, especially when I use it as a synonym for "say." Same problem with "all." I'll be all like, "...and I'm all _______" when I should say, "and I said _______," like a grown-up modeling proper speech and stuff to my little dudes. But ya know, you can take the girl outta the Valley, but the Valley is totally staying with her.

 

:D

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