Mate?

[rich p]

I use it quite a lot, especially if I've forgotten their name. It is possibly a class based thing.
Your all my bess mates innit.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I'd like to be able to call girls chicken, like that Geordie bloke out of Heartburn Hotel.

 

[Kirstie]

Only one of my male friends calls me either pet or petal and I must admit I LOVE it when he does...

 

[gbb]

A guy i used to work with would drive some of you nuts

He's walk up to anyone and say....'ello maaaaaate'...all drawn out

 

[Trumpettom001]

people - (and a certain select group this is) - seem to use it as an exclamation around college - i.e. stupid-bling-mobile-on-wheelz does a "drift" around the roundabout in the snow, and all the "gangsta's" all exclaim: "arrrrr maaaaate". Makes me giggle/despair for the world (depends on if it is snowing/raining/sunny at the time...)

 

[Kirstie]

people - (and a certain select group this is) - seem to use it as an exclamation around college - i.e. stupid-bling-mobile-on-wheelz does a "drift" around the roundabout in the snow, and all the "gangsta's" all exclaim: "arrrrr maaaaate". Makes me giggle/despair for the world (depends on if it is snowing/raining/sunny at the time...)

V funny! Like one of the characters in 'shaun of the dead' when he answers the phone 'ello ma-a-a-a-a-te'

 

[rich p]

Iv'e just remembered that my son calls his sister mate sometimes when he's being sincerely affectionate. It means different things to different people in different circumstances.
No repetition. hesitation or deviation

 

[Trumpettom001]

Friday night comedy's not till tomorrow is it?? or has radio 4 changed when they broadcast J.A.M.?

 

[ChrisKH]

Don't use it that often unless I want to put someone local at ease. I have a tendancy to call ladies "love" for the same reason. Wouldn't dream of doing it at work but in certain social situations I may do so to appear more approachable. When I'm trying to help usually. Don't ask me why. Living in Essex all this time must have rubbed off.

 

[Night Train]

The only times I have used 'Mate' is in PMs on another forum populated mainly by boy racer types.
Generally it is in replies along the lines of:
Yeah mate, I'll sell it ya for that and postage. Giz an address and I'll sort it.

Sort of 'When in Rome...'.

 

[Campfire]

I dislike the term, particularly when females talk about 'their mates'. Mind you, I'm probably a typical grumpy female the wrong side of 40!

I don't know what I call friends particularly, depends on the occasion and mood.

 

[steve52]

losen up all, they dont know anybetter

 

[Trumpettom001]

good point sir - still fun to speculate tho...

 

[snorri]

I also find myself calling the girls at work 'petal'...

back and front.
Reminds me of an interesting conversation on my first foreign cycle tour when a fellow cyclist who I had asked for directions, asked me advice on when it would be appropriate or inappropriate to address a female as petal.

 

[wafflycat]

Must admit, I don't like the term when it's used by a total stranger towards a third party, particularly in a situation where 'sir' or 'madam' would be more appropriate. One of WCMnr's working acquaintances, the first time he met me, referred to me as 'sweetheart'. Patronising t**t. As I am old enough to be his mother, he got my evil eye/middle-aged matron of the parish voice and was loudly informed that "Mrs Simmons" was the appropriate term as I certainly wasn't his sweetheart and he was most certainly not mine.