# The platonic "honey". **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417 "2006-04-20T02:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417/41 "2006-04-21T13:28:29Z")
> [@ninevah](#): > > the older generation (folks in their 40s plus) a You know, this was a surprisingly happy thread, considering people can get so hostile by being called “sir.” But I really see no need to be THAT mean.\* I use endearments all the time. You wanna score points? Call a man “tiger.” I do make an effort to know my customers names, but there are just too many of them and I frequently have to get their attention, so I pretty much run through almost everything listed here. (Although my favorite attention getter is “You are the blind, act like it.” What? I’m 38! I’m not OLDER! Not two years away from older either! I am light years away from older. I’m still young! ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417/42 "2006-04-21T13:30:59Z")
California checking in. With women I know well I use “baby”, “honey”, “dear” when my SO is not present. Not that it would offend her but mainly because it’s some sort of an unspoken rule that in her presence these words would refer to her unless preceded with “\, honey”. With men I use “dude” and “man” ---
**Author:** ![jake1964](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@jake1964](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jake1964)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417/43 "2006-04-21T22:48:12Z")
> [@Audrey Levins](#): > > I live in South Texas…grew up down here… > > The one endearment I read in books about Texans and Southerners (there’s a difference, you know) that I’ve never heard is “darling” or "darlin.’ " I’ve never heard it used by anyone, period. Maybe it’s more a Deep South thing? Or maybe it’s just an anachronism used by lazy authors? I’m from West Texas. Born and raised here. Lived here most of my life. Darlin’ isn’t all that uncommon here. I use it myself fairly often. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417/44 "2006-04-21T23:14:34Z")
As I’ve been reading this, something occured to me; I don’t recall ever seeing someone post who claims to be from Oklahoma! They probably have, and I just don’t recall. Gettin’ old. 😉 Y’all cain’t _all_ be in Bakersfield! Anyway, It seems my **question** has been answered. Only on _King of the Hill_ is such a thing done, honey. Peace, darlin’. mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Electrical\_Storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac8455/32.png) [@Electrical\_Storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electrical_Storm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417/45 "2006-04-22T02:08:27Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Are you saying that men were calling other men _honey_? > > Nope. Never heard of that. Around here, it’s ‘mate’ or nothing. Never heard that one in my neck of the woods, which is Texas. Countless women around here call each other “honey” or “hon” or “sugar”, sometimes “sweetie” in a strictly platonic way to convey friendliness or a casual tone, perhaps, and have heard about the same number of women use it in a strictly platonic manner towards men. But I’ve never heard a man call another man “honey” around here. It’s usually “dude”, “Bubba” (yes, really :rolleyes: ) “Buddy”, “man”, or something along those lines for men who do not know each other and who probably don’t know each other’s names. I’ve called guys “honey” and “sugar” plenty of times when I don’t know their names and there’s nothing terribly intimate meant by it; just friendliness. “Darlin’” isn’t that common 'round these parts. People seem to prefer “hon” or “sweetie” or “sugar”. I hail from East Texas by birth. I live central now. We don’t _really_ say “howdy” all the time. [ul] [/ul] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-platonic-honey/353417.md?page=2)