Hatred towards the word MATE

owlwink · 15-12-2008 9:34pm #1

A recent thing I have noticed is people seem to be using the word MATE alot more. Personally it really frustrates me when I hear it being used in its new context. There is something really arrogant and annoying about its use.

Can anyone shed some light on the words new uses and any experiences with it... Thanks

Latchy · 15-12-2008 9:36pm

If it bothers you so much you could always use M8 instead .

owlwink · 15-12-2008 9:39pm

latchyco wrote: »

If it bothers you so much you could always use M8 instead .

It seems a little less rough in that form.

Whenever people say it to me I just feel like saying "I'm not your mate" straight away.

carbsy · 15-12-2008 9:39pm

Jaysus, get out more will ya! :rolleyes:

super_furry · 15-12-2008 9:40pm

Why?

johnnyskeleton · 15-12-2008 9:43pm

You might get better responses if you post a poll in AH.

I don't mind people saying mate so long as every single sentence doesn't end in it.

Also, it's much more of an English/London thing than an Irish thing.

owlwink · 15-12-2008 9:45pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

You might get better responses if you post a poll in AH.

I don't mind people saying mate so long as every single sentence doesn't end in it.

Also, it's much more of an English/London thing than an Irish thing.

I suppose that's the thing I have noticed though. Alot of Irish people now seem to be using it, just wondering if anyone has any idea why?

orestes · 15-12-2008 9:45pm

I'm not your mate, friend

owlwink · 15-12-2008 9:48pm

orestes wrote: »

I'm not your mate, friend

Best way to be.

Latchy · 15-12-2008 9:50pm

Well in my expierence in uk being called mate is usually when a stranger uses it to ask you for something ie , got a light mate ? / hey mate ... is the n0 49 bus gone yet ? or just somebody behind a counter ,male female asking '' can i help you mate '' Work mates will also use it of course ?

I dont think it's a term of familiarity ,just an english expression .A bit like a yank saying hi buddy ( even though your not really his buddy/friend ) But that sometimes is how friendships are formed .;)

owlwink · 15-12-2008 9:53pm

latchyco wrote: »

Well in my expierence in uk being called mate is usually when a stranger uses it to ask you for something ie , got a light mate ? / hey mate ... is the n0 49 bus gone yet ? or just somebody behind a counter ,male female asking '' can i help you mate '' Work mates will also use it of course ? I dont think it's a term of familiarity ,just an english expression .A bit like a yank saying hi buddy ( even though your not really not his buddy/friend ) But that sometimes is how friendships are formed .;)

The Irish use of the word seems different to the English use.

johnnyskeleton · 15-12-2008 10:00pm

owlwink wrote: »

The Irish use of the word seems different to the English use.

Maybe it's just one or two people you have heard use it as a derogatory term?

The reason why Irish people are using it now is that most slang comes from the UK or US. Are you havin' a giraffe mate? etc.

Latchy · 15-12-2008 10:00pm

owlwink wrote: »

The Irish use of the word seems different to the English use.

I ocassionly greet my fellow Irishmen /women with "Mo Cairde" or Mo Chara.

johnnyskeleton · 15-12-2008 10:02pm

latchyco wrote: »

I ocassionly greet my fellow Irishmen /women with "Mo Cairde" or Mo Chara.

When you're writing letters of complaint to R.T.E?

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:03pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Maybe it's just one or two people you have heard use it as a derogatory term?

The reason why Irish people are using it now is that most slang comes from the UK or US. Are you havin' a giraffe mate? etc.

Fair enough...

Any idea though why this specific slang is coming over now, cuz it has been slang in England for a long time.

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:04pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

When you're writing letters of complaint to R.T.E?

Seems a likely place for such a practice.

Latchy · 15-12-2008 10:06pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

When you're writing letters of complaint to R.T.E?

They must be due another one from me soon

johnnyskeleton · 15-12-2008 10:08pm

owlwink wrote: »

Fair enough...

Any idea though why this specific slang is coming over now, cuz it has been slang in England for a long time.

Because of Little Brittan or some other inane comedy show.

As an aside, does anyone else think that the use of "mate" as in to copulate can be quite funny when used correctly(by correctly, I mean grossly inappropriately)?

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:10pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Because of Little Brittan or some other inane comedy show.

Ah now we are getting somewhere.

Latchy · 15-12-2008 10:12pm

Australians always greet complete stangers with ' G'day mate ' to .

seanybiker · 15-12-2008 10:14pm

my best friend is english and he always says mate. It doesnt bother me much at all. Hate it when he calls me son even though im older than him. Grr

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:15pm

latchyco wrote: »

Australians always greet complete stangers with ' G'day mate ' to .

I think using the word 'mate' singularly is still different though. Extra words add extra meanings.

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:16pm

seanybiker wrote: »

my best friend is english and he always says mate. It doesnt bother me much at all. Hate it when he calls me son even though im older than him. Grr

If you would like to talk about the word son feel free to get it off your chest.

Blisterman · 15-12-2008 10:16pm

Better than Booood
as in
"Starry Booood?"

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:18pm

Blisterman wrote: »

Better than Booood
as in
"Starry Booood?"

I think they are definitely on par with each other.

Latchy · 15-12-2008 10:19pm

owlwink wrote: »

I think using the word 'mate' singularly is still different though. Extra words add extra meanings.

Indeed .A proper Englisman would say ' good day mate ' .Ausies to lazy to put the oo in Gday

seanybiker · 15-12-2008 10:19pm

owlwink wrote: »

If you would like to talk about the word son feel free to get it off your chest.

Daddy is that you?

owlwink · 15-12-2008 10:21pm

seanybiker wrote: »

Daddy is that you?

Just thought I'd play on the stupid use of the word son

Acacia · 16-12-2008 1:01am

orestes wrote: »

I'm not your mate, friend

I'm not you're friend, buddy! :pac:

Chinafoot · 16-12-2008 1:09am

Acacia wrote: »

I'm not you're friend, buddy! :pac:

I'm not your buddy, guy!

On-topic, since when is this "new"?

stovelid · 16-12-2008 10:07am

owlwink wrote: »

It seems a little less rough in that form.

Whenever people say it to me I just feel like saying "I'm not your mate" straight away.

I say it sometimes. It's just a social nicety. You know - that arcane custom where you attempt to be courteous and friendly to strangers, even if you don't know them?

If you were actually brave enough to go around answering I'm not your mate to people, you'd get the response that you deserve.

owlwink · 16-12-2008 10:24am

stovelid wrote: »

I say it sometimes. It's just a social nicety. You know - that arcane custom where you attempt to be courteous and friendly to strangers, even if you don't know them?

If you were actually brave enough to go around answering I'm not your mate to people, you'd get the response that you deserve.

zillmere · 16-12-2008 11:42am

I would advise you to never go to Australia if it bothers you that much. I say it all the time when I am home but I don't often say it to Irish people because it is not used here but I will use it if is is said to me first.

If you did go to Australia, I doubt that it would take long for people to start calling you something more apt than mate.

owlwink · 16-12-2008 11:51am

zillmere wrote: »

I would advise you to never go to Australia if it bothers you that much. I say it all the time when I am home but I don't often say it to Irish people because it is not used here but I will use it if is is said to me first.

If you did go to Australia, I doubt that it would take long for people to start calling you something more apt than mate.

You obviously didnt read through the post.

This was talked about alreadyand I said it was more the Irish use of the word. The Australian and English versions have already been discussed and it was highlighted by myself and others that they are different.

Dragan · 16-12-2008 12:14pm

orestes wrote: »

I'm not your mate, friend

I'm not your friend, pal.

stovelid · 16-12-2008 12:28pm

owlwink wrote: »

Didn't mean that to sound threatening btw. Just meant you'd surely get a bad reaction from some people if you actually said I'm not your mate to them.

owlwink wrote: »

This was talked about alreadyand I said it was more the Irish use of the word. The Australian and English versions have already been discussed and it was highlighted by myself and others that they are different.

Any Irish person I know uses it in the same way. Is there a different way?

For me, it's just a harmless way of being nice in certain situations. For example, if you see somebody in a queue at football that you don't know to talk to, you just say alright mate.

Surely anything that bucks the trend of being rude or offhand to strangers is to be welcomed?

FlutterinBantam · 18-12-2008 9:33am

owlwink wrote: »

A recent thing I have noticed is people seem to be using the word MATE alot more. Personally it really frustrates me when I hear it being used in its new context. There is something really arrogant and annoying about its use.

Can anyone shed some light on the words new uses and any experiences with it... Thanks

I agree with you totally.
I hate it,especially as it's use is becoming more prevalent now, and tends to be used by persons who(in my case anyway) are the polar opposite to what I would socially associate with, much less befriend.

If some randomer refers to me as 'mate' I will always respond by referring to him as 'pal' or 'bud' or 'boss'

Thanks for dah mate
No worries Pal
See ya mate
Right Bud.

Try it, you may like it.

owlwink · 18-12-2008 10:27am

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

I agree with you totally.
I hate it,especially as it's use is becoming more prevalent now, and tends to be used by persons who(in my case anyway) are the polar opposite to what I would socially associate with, much less befriend.

If some randomer refers to me as 'mate' I will always respond by referring to him as 'pal' or 'bud' or 'boss'

Thanks for dah mate
No worries Pal
See ya mate
Right Bud.

Try it, you may like it.

nice one pal...:D

Jumpy · 18-12-2008 10:29am

Keep away from Australia. If you dont like that word you wont be too happy there.

FlutterinBantam · 18-12-2008 10:51am

I never mind it in Australia,seems a lot more genuine from them tbh.

Over here it seems to have a kind of a threat to it.

allabouteve · 18-12-2008 11:00am

latchyco wrote: »

Australians always greet complete stangers with ' G'day mate ' to .

True, we're walking cliches.

owlwink wrote: »

I think using the word 'mate' singularly is still different though. Extra words add extra meanings.

Aussies do that too. I think the influence of Australian soap operas is at work in making 'mate' more commonly used here.

owlwink · 18-12-2008 11:21am

allabouteve wrote: »

True, we're walking cliches.

Aussies do that too. I think the influence of Australian soap operas is at work in making 'mate' more commonly used here.

Or like mentioned earlier in the post is it more an English influence?

allabouteve · 20-12-2008 10:14am

owlwink wrote: »

Or like mentioned earlier in the post is it more an English influence?

Combination of both, I reckon. Irish TV schedules are littered with UK and Aussie soaps and its used ad nauseum in both.

Hatred towards the word MATE

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