Being patronising or maybe not ?

No I like it. I get called darling or sweetheart. It could be worse.

i have never minded being called things like sweetheart or darling, i just do the same back, some workmen asked recently...you all right darling, i just said i am fine sweetheart, my first name bugs me it is spelt as lyn at the end and not ine, if they use the ine i tell them either use my right name or call me mrs nexus.

The only one I don't really like is 'Dear' as makes me feel old (I'm 54). I used to live in the Midlands and got 'Duck' a lot and I loved it. Not a name I'd ever heard people using being from N.Ireland.

Exactly my thoughts...if people are friendly whats to take offence at?

Many many years ago a bus driver used to call me Babe and I hated it (I used to travel on his bus regularly as well ). I was in my local supermarket last week, and the very young male cashier called me Babe - didn't know what to think that time seeing as I'm old enough to be his granny .

When one of the boys in work calls me "my sweet, my love" etc I know he wants me to do something for him.

We are very friendly up north and call everybody luv !!

I say it, but I've no idea why.
It gets on my own nerves!

Why do some people say " see you later" I have no intention to seeing them nor do they. Why do they say that and where did it come from

In labour with my first son, in Exeter, I was called 'my lover' by my midwives in that friendly Devon accent. I can't say it bothered me at all, in fact, it sounded really caring. I had more important things to think about at that moment.

Just as long as they don't alter my name, I'm fine. If I introduce myself as Deborah I don't want their first words to be 'Hello Debbie'. I consider it the height of rudeness to change someone's name without their express permission.

If it’s said with a friendly attitude I quite like it. I wouldn’t like ‘hun’, but happily no-one has ever called me that!

Oh that is sad.
I'm glad she got to hear her name again.

I used to work in a nursing home and cared for a very upmarket elderly lady. Her even more upmarket daughter informed me that her mother was to be known as Mrs B..... but when we were alone she asked me to call her by her first name as nobody used it any more. In her family she was mother/gran/aunty etc and since her husband died she’d forgotten what it was like to hear her name. I did as she requested and thought it very sad.
As above tho, I don’t mind an odd love, petal, sweetheart etc as long as the tone is friendly. The one I really can’t stand is SWEETCHEEKS ?

The only one I cringe at is 'dear' or 'dearie', it makes me feel older than I already am!

But I think it depends on who's saying what and whether it's meant kindly or not. As a 'mouthy know all southerner' (Londoner actually) I have always called people 'love, ducks or mate' and I don't mind it said to me, it's part of my upbringing.

Yes, context is everything and I too much prefer being called love or hinny or pet with a smile compared to just being politely "dealt with".

I also think, though, a lot of the time these are just verbal tics especially in the customer service industries and no disrespect whatsover is intended

that's brilliant!

Prior to an operation the male anaesthetist sat by n the bed of the old lady next to me and introduced himself using his first name and hers. I’ll never forget she said “ young man, this is a hospital not a speed dating venue so I’ll thank you to call me Mrs.... “ ?

I once had an estate agent agent who called me ‘babe’ within 5 minutes of meeting me. I told him we would get in fine if he didn’t use that expression!

It's often a regional thing.
I laugh when I get called 'love, sweetheart, hun,' etc and I reply with, 'me luvver, me 'ansom or bird. I get looks of horror!
Probably just a Cornish girl living miles away from home!

They aren't expressions I tend to use , but they really don't bother me. Hun tends to be used by younger people, instead of Dear or Love. I only once took exception and that was when a cocky Irish boy I was serving called me Love. My retort was "don't you Love me. I am old enough to be your granny!" I call my customers by their surname until I feel I know them better, then it is their first name. I will call children "Sweetie ". We have had the army helping with vaccinations and the senior officer (he is 32!) calls everyone Sir or Ma'am which I think sounds lovely. But WHAT I REALLY HATE is when much younger people call old people CUTE! Now that really does make me fuming. " Cute! Cute! I'll show you how cute I am!"""????????

We moved to an area where ' chick ' seems quite popular. I also dislike dear, peeps, you guys and love.

Most of the time these are meant as friendly affectionate greetings and not meant disrespectfully. I don’t mind at all. Nice to have people being friendly. It depends how they’re said. If someone calls me dear in a patronising ‘she’s an old lady’ type of way that I do dislike intensely.

I dislike the word hun.

For some reason I find it extremely annoying. Especially when called it by a complete stranger.

Alison333 I hate 'aw bless' makes me feel like I have been patted on the head! And I don't mind being called pet, love, darling etc but for some reason I hate 'duck'. I don't think I waddle with my bottom stuck out, but I may be wrong!

But a flower is beautiful, a compliment ...