![]() ![]() An informal expression for a fellow or guy, sometimes used as a term of address īut who were the first "dudes"? The Oxford English Dictionary has an interesting explanation.A city dweller unfamiliar with life on the range, especially an Easterner in the West.A man extremely fastidious in dress and manner - a dandy.They call themselves " bros."Īccording to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "dudes" has three different meanings: In the 1930s and 1940s, the word morphed into a more positive meaning, especially among African-Americans and Mexican-American "pachucos."Ĭontrary to popular belief, the surfing community only adopted the "dude" in the late 1970s, mainly when the stoned surfer Jeff Spicoli appeared on the big screen in the 1982 box office hit "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." ![]() But also for drug addicts and street punks.ĭude was originally a synonym for "rags" and later a derogatory Old West term for "dandy." It is one of the favorite terms for anglophone surfing, skateboarding, and biking communities. ![]() Still, it is heavily associated with urban youth culture and the rise of the street's underground movements. Throughout the decades, the word "dude" gained mainstream status, and its popularity spread across the world. But the word hides an old, rich, and curious heritage. But hey, I did, so there's hope."Dude" is an expression used on various occasions and is often linked to the surfers' world. So, sorry, I think you'll have to get used to calling women "dude". I would never call a guy "chico".ĭudette? Really, dude? No one says dudette, unless they're being self-conscious about it. Sometimes I say/hear "chica", which is also familiar, but I live in New York and hear it a lot. Don't even think of saying that to a stranger. Sometimes I say/hear "chick", but that's very familiar. I don't think there is a word that perfectly fits that. But the kids these days, they pretty much use it as gender-neutral.Ī female equivalent would have to be both familiar and common. If you've been hearing it for thirty years and it still hits your ear as exclusively male, maybe that will never change. Like I said, I don't think about it anymore. Then I heard it more often and from other people. The guy (yes, guy) who called me "dude" said it was a term of endearment, so that put me at ease. The first time I was addressed as dude, I was an adult, and this was about fifteen years ago. I am so used to hearing people address each other as dude, I didn't even notice! The people who thought Stewart was being too familiar were largely older, or more formal generally, or in the press and found it a breach of etiquette. That tells me dude is rather common, relatively. Jon Stewart called the President "dude" during an interview on The Daily Show. What do Californians say (as "dude" in my description seems to come from there)? What do the surfers say?Īny suggestions? It may be the suggestion is that there is no perfect parallel.ĭude, as a colloquial term of address, is gender-neutral. dudette: cute, but hasn't caught on (but could it?)Īustralians have "bruce" and "sheila" (I hear from the movies) but that just doesn't fly in AmE (and maybe that's already out of fashion).babe: might work, but sounds a little too diminutive (or does it?).So what are some suggestions for acceptable female-gendered alternatives? ![]() "Dude, why are you squirting rubbing alcohol on the grill to start it up?"Īgain as in the other "guys" case, it might be culturally acceptable to say "dude" to a female, but I'm not sure, and it feels a little wrong (and has for 30 years). The usage I'm thinking of is that "dude" nowadays is used primarily as a way to address a person very colloquially, e.g.: "Dude" is masculine what is the feminine version? another one similar to "What is a feminine version of 'guys'?" ![]()
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