Is the "hun" thing cultural?

[Snow]

I won't go into the whole story this evening, because it's quite long winded. Essentially I realized tonight how aggravated I become when a complete stranger calls me "hun" or "honey".

It seems to be common in some areas, but it wasn't where I grew up. In fact, it was typically considered rude and condescending. I typically call a stranger "miss" or "ma'm" or "sir" but never "hun".

Is this something common in your area? Do you do it? Is this a cultural thing or more personal trait? I'm really kind of perplexed by it.

Huh - I dunno.

I usually call complete strangers: "you naughty little minx."

[Maxgreen1]

I used to say it once In a while. Not so much anymore since people take it the wrong way and say "Don't call me hun!"

[john doe]

Huh - I dunno.

I usually call complete strangers: "you naughty little minx."

Which explains the funny looks you get everywhere you go in the hospital.

[pam]

Which explains the funny looks you get everywhere you go in the hospital.

Oooo I need to catch him saying that on one of his pocket calls I get from him.

[Vort]

I tend to call young girls "sweetheart", which is fine until they start getting about 14 or so. Then I just sound like a dirty old man. Ewwwww. Fortunately, most of the young girls I interact with are in my ward, so by the time they turn 14 I have had a good chance to learn their names.

[RachelleDrew]

^Yeah, you may want to lay off the sweetheart thing once they hit puberty. I imagine you would run into some problems there.

[pam]

I recently ran across a woman doing business who called everyone 'hon'. Doesn't bother me, it reminds me of someone being matronly and trying to be nice.

I have a brother whose give name is Dave. It used to drive him crazy when people would assume his full name is David and call him that. He would correct them quickly.

As for me, the only person who calls me Jonathan is my wife, and usually I'm in trouble when she says it. My full name usually isn't used except in legal situations. This is how my family will know if I'm in trouble with the law or if I die, is when the news calls the person Jonathan Doe, not to be confused with John Doe.

You must never be in trouble then. Not once have I ever heard your wife call you Jonathan.

[FunkyTown]

I have only once taken offense to the term 'Hun' when they were addressing me.

It was on the phone and someone phoned in to a company I worked for(Not the current one) and wanted something they couldn't have.

They began and ended every sentence with 'Hun'.

'Oh, hun: I really need such and such, hun.' 'I'm sorry, but if you can't confirm that it's yours, I can't give it.' 'But hun, It really is mine, hun.'

Replace the word 'hun' with any other word in the English language and if you began and ended any sentence in it, anyone would get annoyed.

[beefche]

I have one client who calls me every annoying endearment known to man. "Thanks so much, sweetie pie. I will call you when I get my appointment, baby doll. I got your email, honey." Every single sentence contains an endearment and annoys the absolute crapola out of me.

I don't mind an occasional honey, but not the constant bombardment.

I, too, go by my full name, not a diminuitive (except for my online ID). A lot of my friends just call me beef, which I don't mind in the least.

[Tarnished]

My mom calls people Sweetie, I have called her on it a few times. She does the arm touch too. So she will touch the arm of some complete stanger and call them sweetie during some conversation with them and I will say under my breath to her later, "Did you just call that person Sweetie?" I have to admit that it is kind of strange to see. I don't think I could ever bring myself to call someone something like hun or sweetie unless I knew they really well.

Early on in my marriage my husband and I went through endearments and he told me why he disliked most of them.

Honey - you are refering to your loved one as something sticky, gooey and sweet

Dear - you are refering to your loved one as an animal

Baby - you are refering to your loved one as an infant

Eventually he gave in on sweetie and that is what we use.

Regarding y'all, as far as I can tell it is mostly a Southern term, it sound weird to me.

I have found that I do feel awkward when strangers refer to me as some endearment, but I figure that most people are very odd and that I probably won't have to deal with said person again.

[Vort]

Honey - you are refering to your loved one as something sticky, gooey and sweet

Yeah...

Dear - you are refering to your loved one as an animal

Yeah!

Baby - you are refering to your loved one as an infant

Yea--uh, wait. Maybe not.

[Guest]

Must be cultural. It's a very common thing here in Georgia/Florida. Surfers say dude, blacks say bro, australians say mate... same thing. Just part of this thing called local language...

[mnn727]

An elderly gentleman and his wife were invited to their friends home for dinner one evening. He was impressed by the way the host preceded every request to his wife with endearing terms such as: Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Pumpkin, etc. The host couple had been married almost 70 years and, clearly, they were still very much in love.

While the wives were in the kitchen, the old man leaned over to his host, 'I think it's wonderful that, after all these years, you still call your wife all those loving pet names'..

The host hung his head. 'I have to tell you the truth,' he said, 'Her name slipped my mind about 10 years ago, and I'm scared to death to ask the cranky old biddy what it is.'

[Churchmouse]

Where I live everyone talks that way. I've been called "hun" by both young women and older women. Of course, most women older than me are in rest homes.

It doesn't bother me. If you jump on someone for it, they'll probably have another name for you when you're not around.:)

[RachelleDrew]

Yeeaaaccch! The touching thing bothers me too.

I have issues with personal space. My significant other can be all over me and it doesn't bother me. I'm very touchy-feel-ish with family.

But strangers? Don't. freaking. touch. me. Ever. I know it's an overreaction, but it makes me so uncomfortable. Even just touching my arm or shoulder makes me nervous and sweaty. I hate it, and I wish people understood how upset it makes some other people to do that.

[Guest]

Yikes! I'm a touchy feely. Part of the way I communicate is to get my hands moving, sometimes putting my hand on somebody's forearm to get something important across. I hug people at work too. But, I learned not to do that unless I know the other person is okay with it. Took me a while to realize it though.

[mnn727]

Don't. freaking. touch. me. Ever..

I agree, if you're not close family, keep your hands to yourself!

You can get your point accross without touching me or even encroaching on my personal space

Edited December 8, 2009 by mnn727

[Misshalfway]

I hate it when a male calls me "young lady" and uses it to talk down to me. I especially hate it when I find out they are younger than I am.

Is that a cultural thing? (hand on the hip.)

[Dravin]

Now look here young lady...

People will find something to use in a derogatory fashion regardless of culture be it, young lady, girlie, chicka or what have you.

Edited December 8, 2009 by Dravin

[john doe]

I don't like it when people make wild claims, can't back them up with facts when asked, and then walk away saying they can't have an intelligent conversation with you.

[Dravin]

I don't like it when people make wild claims, can't back them up with facts when asked, and then walk away saying they can't have an intelligent conversation with you.

And you venture onto the internet? I can't tell if you are brave or a masochist. :)

[mnn727]

I don't like it when people make wild claims, can't back them up with facts when asked, and then walk away saying they can't have an intelligent conversation with you.

Well, thats just prepostous! Do you have any proof people do that to you? No? I didn't think so!

<<Shaking head and walking away>>

[john doe]

And you venture onto the internet? I can't tell if you are brave or a masochist. :)

The answer to that is yes.

[Churchmouse]

Yeeaaaccch! The touching thing bothers me too.

I have issues with personal space. My significant other can be all over me and it doesn't bother me. I'm very touchy-feel-ish with family.

But strangers? Don't. freaking. touch. me. Ever. I know it's an overreaction, but it makes me so uncomfortable. Even just touching my arm or shoulder makes me nervous and sweaty. I hate it, and I wish people understood how upset it makes some other people to do that.

I think women are more sensitive about being touched by men, with good reason, than the other way around. I know I would be upset if I saw a another man put his paws on my wife. Even if it was just her arm. On the other hand, we went to a get together of several people I went to high school with and hadn't seen for over 40 years. The woman standing behind me in the picture put her hand on my shoulder. My wife never even mentioned it.

[hordak]

I hate it when a male calls me "young lady" and uses it to talk down to me. I especially hate it when I find out they are younger than I am.

Is that a cultural thing? (hand on the hip.)

Better then old bag isn't it.