What do you think of the term "Dude"?

[Taverner]

I love the term, and use it often. To me, it's a more capitalist-friendly form of "comrade."

It connotates somebody you don't want to have a beer with, but wouldn't mind taking a bong hit with.

For me it's non-gender specific. There was a time when some women objected to the term, and reply with "I'm not a dude."

I never liked "dudette" - too much like Smurfette.

You and I are both dudes, the plumbing is irrelevant.

[knowbody0]

1. completely agree

dude.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Anybody wanna get high?

Dude.

[LiberalLoner]

3. Personally, I love it. I think it's cool. :) Makes me smile.

I think I'm too old for it to sound right coming out of my mouth, but I really like the term. It doesn't have any nasty associations to it, no bad feelings attached to the word, at least not for me.

As opposed to "Hey lady" or "sir..." both given in a condescending tone of voice...

[Drunken Irishman]

4. My dad, God rest his soul, used to call everyone dude...

Well, dude for men, dudette for women. As a kid, it mortified me. "Hey, what's up, dude?" to random strangers. "Dude, how's it going?" to people in the car next to us as we waited for the light to turn green. Oh God. Horrible, horrible memories.

[zappaman]

5. It's all good, dude. n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Hey Dude, I like it . . . .

[DefenseLawyer]

7. The Dude abides n/t

[ret5hd]

8. Hate it...

a certain member here (since tombstoned) ruined it for me.

[hootinholler]

15. Dude!

I remember that.

[white_wolf]

27. I thought of that member too.

I hate the word "dude" because of him.

[progressiveinaction]

41. Who was that?

[hootinholler]

68. sduderstadt n/t

[Liberal_Dog]

74. LOL!!

[randome]

9. Hey, dude, look at those hot girls!

Yeah, I like it.

[Moonwalk]

10. Dude! I'm totally with you

[HappyMe]

11. I kind of use it as an almost

term of endearment. I don't mind being called dudette.

Please, please tell me 'dude' isn't going to be added to the damn'list' here.

[Rosco T.]

12. Dude!

[SunSeeker]

24. F'n hilarious video. Ah, the many meanings of "dude."

[laundry_queen]

103. LOL!

Love me some Rick Mercer.

[cbdo2007]

13. I'm very offended by the term "dude". I prefer "fellow"

[HappyMe]

17. Are you serious?

[cbdo2007]

19. Yes. "Male" would be acceptable as well.

[randome]

31. Hey, male, how's it goin'?

No, sorry, doesn't sound right.

[dmallind]

14. Sorry, I really don't mean this personally

But to me it drops the user's apparent IQ by 30 points or so. Unless used sardonically or in referring to direct speech of another person, it smacks way too much of the clueless teen clique for my taste. "Guys" I can just about live with as a vernacular generic, but used as an appellation I'm not too fond of that one either.

[HappyMe]

16. Yes sir!

[madamesilverspurs]

18. In truth,

much of my 'growing up' happened in the Colorado mountains where "dude ranches" were cause for giggles. Said "ranches" were often at roadside, and they were notorious for hosting those who dressed like movie cowboys with no clue as to historical realities; they had fun in costume for a week or so. The word has, for me, always conjured a picture of someone pretending to be something he isn't. Enter Todd Palin...

-

[SunSeeker]

20. Definitely agree on ditching "dudette." "Dude" is fine.

Living in So. Cal, it's just part of the lexicon. Of course, you wouldn't use dude when addressing, say, a cop or a judge or the President. But dude among friends is a sign of camaraderie. And it has so many meanings....depending on the tone you say it with.


You just ate the last rib? Dude.

Congratulations, dude, you deserved that award.


But not:

Dude, why did you pull me over?

[randome]

25. That's 'Mr. Dude' when addressing the President.

I agree some decorum is necessary.

[Systematic Chaos]

21. I think it's totally Comfort Eagle!

[Codeine]

70. Does that mean I can dress up like a sultan in my onion head hat? nt

[keroro gunsou]

22. the dude abides.

that is all.

and yes, i use the term in a gender-neutral fashion and no one i use it on seems to care or mind.

[Initech]

23. "Hey you're Mr. Lebowski - I'm The Dude, man, so that's what you call me."

"That or His Dudeness or El Duderino if you're not into that whole brevity thing."

[madinmaryland]

26. DUDE!! WTF!!!1!!

[FLSurfer]

28. Not a fan of dude.

As a surfer it became really annoying after the Spicoli movie.
Twenty years? later I still can't stand it.

[Egalitarian Thug]

57. Try 30. Man, you're old.

[plcdude]

29. I am

fond of it as well.

[Skidmore]

30. My elementary school aged grandchildren call each other "dude"

regardless of gender all the time. Sometimes they slip up and call a parent or grandparent "dude" as well if they are excited and absorbed in an activity. When I was a youngster, "man" was the all purpose designator, sometimes interchangeable with "cat." It is slang and the next generation will adopt something else. Least of our concerns right now.

[Erose999]

32. El Duderino works too, if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

[dmr]

33. My son, calls me, his mom, "Dude"

then he'd realize who he was talking to, & say "sorry, Mom". lol

Now the "sorries" are a hit & miss.


It doesn't bother me.

I don't care for duddette, & I thought the title "First Dude" was too cutsey.

[randome]

36. Language seems to be merging as far as male/female terms.

'Actor' means either gender. Soldiers often say 'Yes, Sir' when addressing a female commander -at least they do in the movies! I think feminine versions of many words will drop out of the lexicon before too long.

'Mankind' is another word that is inclusive.

[MADem]

84. I'm retired, but in my day, any use of Sir to a female servicemember would meet with a correction.

And a fairly swift one, too.

[Tikki]

34. I have met a dude or two in my life....It is a proprietary term, though...

Not everyone is a dude, for sure.


Tikki

[JoePhilly]

35. In Philly when I grew up, "Guys" was also gender neutral.

A group of people was "guys".

[Nye Bevan]

37. Never, ever appropriate except on an actual dude ranch.

Patronizing and/or demeaning connotations. I will be alerting on this word going forward. Huff puff huff puff.

[hifiguy]

38. "Dude" does imply a sort of anti-elitist commonality

of status. It's a good word and I also use it often.

[-..__...]

39. Don't Call Me Dude!!..

&feature=player_detailpage

[edhopper]

40. All together now!

All the young....

[JVS]

42. Beware of DUers spouting dude

[Auntie Bush]

43. Hey dude...why do you want to know?

I hate the term...very condescending...dude.

[flvegan]

44. So...what are you dudes talking about in here?

Sorry, wanted to go totally equal opportunity here. Though H8ers will stil H8. LOL!!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

45. Cowabunga

[frogmarch]

46. I like it. I especially like it when

my 9 year old grandson calls me, his 68 year old grandma, dude.

[slackmaster]

47. I prefer El Duderino

Last edited Wed May 2, 2012, 09:26 AM - Edit history (1)

Because I'm not into the whole brevity thing,

[joshcryer]

48. I find that whenever I call someone dude online they get all antagonistic.

As if I'm insulting them or something. I rarely use it anymore.

[ieoeja]

71. Today's Conservatives find it disrespectable.

In the '60s and '70s they would get angry when you called them, "man". Then there are those, particularly concentrated in the Norman/Celt South, who insist on being called "sir". My response to, "call me 'sir'!" is inevitaby sarcastic and always includes referring to the speaker as "dude".

I *like* pissing off pompous asses.

[Taverner]

80. Them: "You should call me sir!"

Me: "No I shouldn't - I'm older than you so I'm going to call you 'boy.' Now fetch me a glass of water, boy, and make it post haste."

Actual Conversation I had in Raleigh, NC

[Taverner]

79. Some people just have a pole up their ass, the size of Montana

And it is not our job to remove it. Hell, even pointing it out can get us into trouble.

Best thing to do is just make the pole-in-ass irrelevant and ignored

[bigwillq]

49. I love the word "dude"

and I agree. Hate dudette.

[yewberry]

50. I called the director of my agency "Dude" recently.

He sort of wheeled back and asked, "Dude?"

I countered with, "Duderector?"

He almost peed his pants.

[bhikkhu]

51. With enough variety of tone and inflection, its the only word you really ever need

...or so it was decided in a conversation with my daughter the other day.

[ieoeja]

72. I've had that conversation a few times.

"Dude."

"Dude?"

"Dude!"

"Dude."

[Liquorice]

52. I think of dude as exclusively male, and I found it funny

the few times a guy has called me dude. I've never had a woman call me dude, and I don't use the term to refer to anyone. Dudette is just awful.

[a la izquierda]

61. One of my best friends is a guy from Spain...

and he calls me dude all the time. Half the time, I think he's searching for a Spanish equivalent for a female dude...but he just says dude instead. It usually makes me chuckle.

As for me, I say dude all the time. When I was a teenager, it drove my mom nuts. I'm now 34 and I think my mom finds it endearing.

[LadyHawkAZ]

53. Ranch?

Jeff Bridges?
Do I win a prize?

Are we playing word association?

[Go Vols]

54. .

I used the term in the '70's,didnt apply to women tho.

[Taverner]

78. This is the Spicoli Effect

Fast Time at Ridgemont High had Spicoli calling women and men dude.

Since then, it became a unisex term

[Common Sense Party]

55. I like it. It's the same as "che" in Argentina, works for male or female buds.

[Vehl]

56. I like it, but seems to be giving ground to "Man" amongst the younger generation

Almost all my friends (and I ) use 'man' much more often than dude.

Ex : "Hey man, howsit going?" (man pronounced more like "maan" )

[TorchTheWitch]

58. I'm not a dude

The term "dude" is absolutely male gendered, and I fucking despise being called a dude. Maybe YOU feel it is gender unspecific, but it isn't, and most women would not appreciate being referred to as a dude.

[Taverner]

77. Well then I guess I'll just call you "Hey you!" and just "Hey!"

Since I know that one is gender non-specific

[CTyankee]

59. Isn't it more of a California thing?

It isn't used commonly very much in CT. But my dtr and son in law in CA use it a lot.

I think it is just an amusing term for a clueless guy. I actually cover it in my ESL classes for English learners. They are often mystified by our linguistic liberties here...

[Warren DeMontague]

60. Its a west coast tradition; bestowing the moniker on us as part of the ceremony commemorating

The removal of that big east coast pole, from our rectal nether region.


I kid, I kid!

Sort of.

Dude.

[CTyankee]

66. Oh, my goodness!

[Warren DeMontague]

86. Yeah, I've always found the east coast a tad uptight for my tastes.

YMMV, of course.

[CTyankee]

89. Oh, that's fine! It was your er, use of imagery that evoked "my goodness."

I love the West Coast. I love going to visit my grandson in L.A. I know some East Coast people put L.A. down but that's because they don't appreciate it. L.A. has lots of creative people in it and that makes it extremely attractive to me. Of course, having family there helps...

[Warren DeMontague]

95. I'm not that big on LA, myself.

Too many people. Northern California, on the other hand...

[CTyankee]

96. Oh, but clusters of lots of people mean that something exciting is happeniing!

I hear what you are saying but hey, look at NYC, when in the 40s it flourished. Why? because so many refugees from Germany and the Soviet Union flooded in. Crowded? Sure! But look at what we got with the art!

[Warren DeMontague]

97. Heh heh.

I lived down there for a while in my misspent youth. Fun, but... Traffic jams at 3 am are not my bag. Plus, as you can probably get fom my snarky and oft unpleasant demeanor (nothing personal! ) I've become a bit of a misanthrope in my old age. Oregon is precisely the right human/landscape ratio for me, now.

[CTyankee]

98. Of course, different strokes for different folks at different ages! Love it!

I'm old and pretty snarky too, so I get you, loud and clear!

Right now, home is where the heart is, and that is New England. But I'll tell you, I still hold love for So. Cal. for its shine, bad as it is...too many creative people to be denied. It is a great city. It has great museums, which I love to visit. And the terrific people there just knock me out. I love them, they are beautiful.

My grandson is a So. Cal. kid. I love it...

[Warren DeMontague]

99. My people are from Boston, originally. Old school.

I mean, from Africa, originally, and before that pangaea, before that the ocean.. But.. One of these days I'll have to check out Boston.

[CTyankee]

101. A glorious city. I was just there, visiting the Isabella Gardner Museum and Trinity Church.

I go up there regularly as I have 3 granddaughters near Boston. I also love going to the MFA, one of the U.S.'s great museums.

[Ter]

87. Yeah, back in 1982

[Violet_Crumble]

62. Party on, dudes!

[Vinca]

63. I think it sounds ignorant, but I'm a geezer so what do I know.

[raccoon]

64. Like, what do you mean, dude? nt

[Blue_Tires]

65. Bro...What the shit??

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

67. It's better than "dumbass", or "douchebag"

But I don't use the term much. Maybe it's all this gray hair.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

69. "I'm a dude, he's a dude, she's a dude, cuz we're all dudes hey!"

Song from Good Burger

[Zorra]

73. My sister and I call each other dude when we are joking around.

Old surf culture language that hit the mainstream.

[kentauros]

75. Can't stand it

I find its use especially idiotic.

Also, I just learned this about its origins. Sorry, West Coast

dude
1883, "fastidious man," New York City slang of unknown origin. The vogue word of 1883, originally used in reference to the devotees of the "aesthetic" craze, later applied to city slickers, especially Easterners vacationing in the West (e.g. dude ranch, first recorded 1921).

Now, "tenderfoot" is not to be construed as the Western equivalent of that much evolved and more abused specimen of mankind, familiarly styled "dude." For even the Montana cowboy recognizes the latter. Not that he has ever seen the true prototype of a class that was erstwhile so numerous among us. But he is convinced that a person caught in the act of wearing a white linen collar, and who looks as though he might have recently shaved or washed his face, must be a dude, true and proper. {"Random Notes and Observations of a Trip through the Great Northwest," "The Medical Record," Oct. 20, 1883}

Application to any male is recorded by 1966, U.S., originally in Black English.

[Marr]

76. Dude is one of those all-purpose words, like "shit".

It can be an exclamation, an expression of disbelief, awe, or disappointment; it can be a friendly greeting, it can mean, "I'm tired" or "I'm angry", or "this is delicious". It's the Swiss Army Knife of words.

I don't actually use it much myself, but I don't have a Swiss Army Knife either.

[MadrasT]

81. If you're 20 and have a surfboard it works.

Or if you're of any age, and you're a stoner.

Otherwise, it just sounds silly to me.

[ThomThom]

82. ay man what's happening?

man like man
say what?

[MADem]

83. It's generational. It sounds odd to my ear, but I don't care if others want to use it.

My concept of the word is that it has a gender connotation. A dude is a male amongst my generation, his female counterpart used to be a "chick" but that's considered sexist nowadays. I never found "dudette" anything but forced.

For my forefathers, a dude was a dandy, a sharp dresser, sometimes of questionable character. A dude could also be a guy who wasn't at home in the wild, wild west.

[hughee99]

85. I'm a big fan. I Call my 2yo "the Dude".

No, not appropriate for all situations, but it's a great word. In my mind, dude is a gender neutral term, like "person" or "partner". I've never used "dudette".

[librechik]

88. irreplaceable in certain contexts

and gender neutral for most of those. Similar to guys or you guys, but a little more current.

[mrmpa]

90. Steely Dan...Any Major Dude

[Tx4obama]

91. The next time a guy calls me dude I'll just call him MA'AM and call it even ;) n/t

[Lydia Leftcoast]

92. It's a young person's word

Generations X and Y use it, but I've never heard a boomer or senior use it.

[libodem]

93. Graduated in 1974

Guys were dudes, gals were chicks. Now you can say dooode, for astonishment.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

100. Yeah, that's what I meant

We didn't use it as an exclamation. It was the masculine form of "chick."

[guitar man]

94. Well

[guardian]

102. The Dude abides.

[Taverner]

104. He does indeed

STFU Donny!

[Can I Come Home]

105. Where's my car?