Well, just yikes, here. The sad divide of Middle Age has finally hit it. In Munchkin speak: “it’s not only merely Dead, but really most sincerely Dead”.
How did that happen? I dunno, mostly, I have aged fairly well. But, the past coupla years, my younger female coworkers , who are really wonderful strong women, very creative, forging along with their college degrees, really smart women. One is majoring in Philosophy, one completed her degree in Medieval German Literature, past ones in Classics at St. John’s. They’re all very smart. When it’s work, they are lovely and right with customers. But, when it’s all us as informal, they say "Dude, or Duuuuuude, even with talking to each other or me.
Here’s when I get Creaky… umm, Dude is a guy, from my memory. But guess not, cause these gals say Dude like it’s for everyone. Shit, what I hate is it makes my mind have a glitch. “uh, Dude, guy, right, uhhh, help…”
So, when did Dude include gals too ? Any understanding help for this old gal? Poke fun all you want, y’all get here soon enough.
Back in the late 90s there was this movie called Good Burger. The theme song of the movie had a line that went something like: “I’m a dude, he’s a dude, she’s a dude we’re all dudes. Hey!” That’s where the whole shift started. Okay, I really don’t know if thats true. Anyway from what I’ve seen recently, it’s used as more of an exclamation, than as a form of address, so it works to use it no matter who you’re talking to.
I took a class at the local community college this spring, and I noticed the same thing - I got a silent chuckle from the two girls calling each other Dude, and the guy talking to his girlfriend the same way.
Dude! Where have you been? It’s not just for [del]breakfast[/del] guys anymore. Everyone can be a dude! Guys, girls, family pets, the slices of bread you dip in your soft-boiled egg – dudes all. Dude is the new Bitch.
Um, seriously though, I have no idea where that’s coming from. I have yet to hear it. Maybe I should be thankful.
Dunnow, but I have a question for our British/Aussie Dopers:
Does “mate” usually mean a guy? Most of the people I’ve met personally who say “mate” used it only for guys, but lately I’ve been called “mate” a lot. Mind you, sometimes it’s by people who believe it’s correctly spelled “m8”, but this isn’t even just on the internet (where many people assume the gender-by-default pees standing up); today one of the programmers wrote to me “thanks, you’re a true m8” after I’d pointed out an error he hadn’t seen… he has seen me in person.
I realize I’ve been old for a long time, but every time I’m told “thanks mate” I feel like making sure my girls are still in place.