Being called "sir".

[The Passenger]

what's the exact opposite word to inferior?? i was originally going to write "exterior" but clearly that's not right then when i went to write "exferior" i realised it's not a word....

yes i'm a bit pissed.

 

[RoosterLad]

Superior?

 

[Poseidon]

Why are so many people 'uncomfortable' with it? Reminds me of this scene from Coach Carter

Coach Ken Carter: You shooting the ball, what's your name sir?
Jason Lyle: Jason Lyle, but I ain't no sir.
Coach Ken Carter: Oh, well, are you a madam?

what's the exact opposite word to inferior?? i was originally going to write "exterior" but clearly that's not right then when i went to write "exferior" i realised it's not a word....

yes i'm a bit pissed.

Superior.

 

[Caesar]

Calling someone 'sir' doesn't necessarily imply deference/subservience. Well, maybe in modern Australia it does, because we are used to it only being used towards schoolmasters and customers.

I've always regarded it as a mark of respect only in the sense that I am not assuming a level of familiarity that the other person hasn't offered. Maybe it's not the best word for that purpose but we don't really have another one.

I'll quite happily call someone by their first name if they offer but to do it without being asked feels a little presumptuous.

 

[zimma]

Why are so many people 'uncomfortable' with it? Reminds me of this scene from Coach Carter

Coach Ken Carter: You shooting the ball, what's your name sir?
Jason Lyle: Jason Lyle, but I ain't no sir.
Coach Ken Carter: Oh, well, are you a madam?

Superior.

My guess would be either the formality or the association with older stern people in a position of power (assholes). Just seems forced in most cases.

 

[The Passenger]

Superior.

i knew it was out there somewhere

re; ceasers post - i guess when i get introduced to someone i just like being called "mate" or even "man" (i've been throwing man out a lot lately for whatever reason).... i don't know. maybe there is some bogan residing deep down in me somewhere !!!

 

[zimma]

i knew it was out there somewhere

re; ceasers post - i guess when i get introduced to someone i just like being called "mate" or even "man" (i've been throwing man out a lot lately for whatever reason).... i don't know. maybe there is some bogan residing deep down in me somewhere !!!

You see if someone goes hey how's it going man I pretty much assume they're either a stoner or at a minimum someone who's going to have a lot of conflicting opinions with me..

 

[The Passenger]

You see if someone goes hey how's it going man I pretty much assume they're either a stoner or at a minimum someone who's going to have a lot of conflicting opinions with me..

really??

i'm probably somewhat of a paradox... it depends whether i'm sober or not.

if i'm sober when someone meets me they probably think i'm quite an well mannered intellectual person, but after a while they'll be shocked to find out i'm a drinking, drug taking, women chasing nutter who has little to no consistency in his life. if i'm blind when i first meet someone they'll probably think i'm a drop kick, but after a while they'll be shocked to find out i'm pretty smart, i read intellectual books and magazines (nat geo and time), i work in computer programming, and i don't bother wasting my time with superflous shit (outside of BF of course!!!)

tl:dr;

 

[zimma]

really??

i'm probably somewhat of a paradox... it depends whether i'm sober or not.

if i'm sober when someone meets me they probably think i'm quite an well mannered intellectual person, but after a while they'll be shocked to find out i'm a drinking, drug taking, women chasing nutter who has little to no consistency in his life. if i'm blind when i first meet someone they'll probably think i'm a drop kick, but after a while they'll be shocked to find out i'm pretty smart, i read intellectual books and magazines (nat geo and time), i work in computer programming, and i don't bother wasting my time with superflous shit (outside of BF of course!!!)

tl:dr;

Fair enough, even though i say "man" myself at times i tend to associate it with that one group and tend to read it in the voice / tone of a hippy...

 

[FootyJunkie]

I used a similar rule when I worked in retail, except I occasionally slipped up through force of habit. I once answered a call from an older gentleman customer who reacted very badly when a casual "mate" slipped on to the end of my reply. He asked me, "have you shared your girlfriend with me?" which struck me momentarily dumb until I realised he expected a reply. I said no, to which he replied, "have I shared my wife with you? No. So we aren't mates."

I learnt to always address baby boomers as 'sir' from then on.

god, what a prick

 

[La Vache]

I like being called sir. Much prefer Reggie though.

 

[SugarShane]

Don't really like it. I only ever get it at hotels and the like and then it just seems unnecessary. It's obvious they have to say it to everyone, i'd much prefer a "This way, mate," over a "This way, sir."

 

[Gough]

Calling someone 'sir' doesn't necessarily imply deference/subservience. Well, maybe in modern Australia it does, because we are used to it only being used towards schoolmasters and customers.

I've always regarded it as a mark of respect only in the sense that I am not assuming a level of familiarity that the other person hasn't offered. Maybe it's not the best word for that purpose but we don't really have another one.

I'll quite happily call someone by their first name if they offer but to do it without being asked feels a little presumptuous.

I grew up in a mining company environment which was very informal, all of my parents friends were referred to by their christian names, as my parents were to their friend's kids. This created grief when I was expected to call the parents of my school friends by the more respectful Mr and Mrs, which was not something I was used to. I was considered a little presumptuous at times.

 

[worbod]

call me "sir" after I've been knighted by the queen.

For services to...?

 

[FootyJunkie]

For services to...?

for being me

 

[vast]

I did it once and my first job at target coz we were told to, the youngish guy laughed and I never did it again.

 

[psychobrown]

I much prefer it to being called 'bro' or 'cuz' when I walk into stores. Foot Locker.

 

[Bombers 2003]

I would much rather be called sir than 'mate', 'buddy', 'pal' by a stranger. I hate overfamiliarity.

It does bother me when it is used unnecessarily in the middle of a sentence - an offence mostly committed by waiters (never waitresses, oddly). "Would sir like to see the wine list?" Cringeworthy.

and also in food outlats at unis
i often wonder what the VC would be called by staff at Meeting Place(monash) if he walked up and ordered something to eat

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Never use sir or pal.

If I'm unsure of names, it's either mate, buddy, bud, hand gesture or "how's it going?".

Oh and if they're too cool 4 school, it's "champ".

 

[Xtreme]

I don't object to it in certain circumstances (first time i was called sir was in 2003, when i went to an upmarket retailer). I'll use mate and champ a lot in my greetings and farewells plus thank you's.

 

[Caesar]

Pretty sure anybody who you call 'champ' assumes you're having a shot at them.

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

Watch the start of this

 

[raskolnikov]

I grew up in a mining company environment which was very informal, all of my parents friends were referred to by their christian names, as my parents were to their friend's kids. This created grief when I was expected to call the parents of my school friends by the more respectful Mr and Mrs, which was not something I was used to. I was considered a little presumptuous at times.

I went to a private school where my mum was a teacher aide. I wasn't allowed to call her mum at school. I had to call her Mrs .....

 

[raskolnikov]

Pretty sure anybody who you call 'champ' assumes you're having a shot at them.

Yeah I hate champ. It sounds so condescending.

 

[Mooster7]

In the US we don't acknowledge knights, royalty, peerage and all that. To us 'sir' means "dickhead" only with slightly more social acceptance - especially when there might be children present.

From reading through the thread, I agree almost no man deserves or should be comfortable with an honorific formal title, but it's likewise very rare to encounter a dude who doesn't deserve to be called "dickhead" for one reason or other. 'Sir' suffices.