# I'm not your "boss" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690 "2012-08-26T05:50:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/1 "2012-08-26T05:50:21Z")
What is up with everybody calling me boss? I go to Home Depot: “aisle 10, boss”. Costco: “sure thing, boss”. Oil change dude: “all done, boss”. This is a prison thing, right? Does anybody else get this or is it just an L.A./latino neighborhood thing? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/2 "2012-08-26T06:08:07Z")
I hear it hear in Chicago, too. Never associated it with prison or anything, just general slang. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/3 "2012-08-26T06:27:07Z")
Hey, I don’t have to stop what I’m doing and answer you. You’re not my boss. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/4 "2012-08-26T06:52:58Z")
Also, you’re only a half cadence. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/5 "2012-08-26T09:56:33Z")
Would you prefer “'guvna”? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/6 "2012-08-26T12:47:54Z")
Big Hoss on _Pawn Stars_ calls everyone (males, anyway) ‘my man’. I think that would irritate me. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/7 "2012-08-26T13:39:27Z")
I do it. Unconsciously; sorry! No explanation - it just happens. I promise to work on it 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/8 "2012-08-26T14:04:12Z")
I never get that here in Montreal, but a lot of people here speak French anyway. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/9 "2012-08-26T15:00:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I hear it hear in Chicago, too. Never associated it with prison or anything, just general slang. Actually, now that I think of it, “chief” is more commonly used around here. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/10 "2012-08-26T16:04:48Z")
Mon? Mon? Why is everyone saying mon at the end of statements all of a sudden like we were in Jamaica, no one used to do this now it is a trend or something. We are not in Jamaica goddamit! ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/11 "2012-08-26T16:04:55Z")
> [@I-VI-ii-V](#): > > or is it just an L.A./latino neighborhood thing? No, then you’d be ‘El Jefe’. ---
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/12 "2012-08-26T16:48:49Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Also, you’re only a half cadence. I’m a turnaround, boss. ---
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/13 "2012-08-26T16:52:39Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Would you prefer “'guvna”? Only if preceded by 'ello ---
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/14 "2012-08-26T16:54:32Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I do it. Unconsciously; sorry! No explanation - it just happens. I promise to work on it 😉 **WordMan** , did you hone your chops playing in the prison band? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/15 "2012-08-26T19:15:59Z")
Maybe it comes from the phrase “[do something] like a boss”. Seems like no one ever doesn’t say that lately. Except me. I never do. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/16 "2012-08-26T19:21:51Z")
Okay - you’re the boss! How does “sir” make you feel? That’s probably the word they’re avoiding, since so many aging adults object to it because it makes them “feel old” to be addressed respectfully. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/17 "2012-08-26T19:34:54Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > Okay - you’re the boss! > > How does “sir” make you feel? That’s probably the word they’re avoiding, since so many aging adults object to it because it makes them “feel old” to be addressed respectfully. Yeah, part of getting close to 50 seems to be everyone has stopped calling me “bro”\* and is now calling me “sir.” I’m not really annoyed with these kids, except I _feel old_. And they keep getting on my lawn… :p:o - (Or “My Brother.” There’s no racial connotation to this in Hebrew, it’s just Army Slang here.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/18 "2012-08-26T23:28:17Z")
> [@I-VI-ii-V](#): > > **WordMan** , did you hone your chops playing in the prison band? 🙂 No - just a conversational twit falling back on a silly word to sound…whatever. Not cool, just pleasant. Exactly what you find frustrating. It’s a variant of Have a Nice Day, admittedly. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/19 "2012-08-27T00:38:06Z")
Sorry 'bout that, chief. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690/20 "2012-08-27T00:56:28Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Big Hoss on _Pawn Stars_ calls everyone (males, anyway) ‘my man’. I think that would irritate me. I’ve known some women, usually of the skater/surfer/stoner variety, who call everyone of both genders “dude.” > [@EmilyG](#): > > I never get that here in Montreal, but a lot of people here speak French anyway. If someone is leading a kitchen staff, do the cooks call them “Chef chef”? Other ones: “bra” from surfers/Hawaiians (hate that one), “bruv” from people in parts of London and such. OP: yeah, it seems like something a lot of Hispanic Americans do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-your-boss/632690.md?page=2)