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submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by SirSamuel@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

I was raised to address strangers and those I wish to show social deference to as "Sir" or "Ma'am". It's a difficult habit to break, as it is deeply engrained.

What is an equivalent gender neutral honorific that is relatively common in English? If I can't break the habit I'd rather have a substitute word to use instead of an awkward pause in the middle of addressing someone

I'd just use Google to ask but I'd rather ask the people directly rather than an AI generated answer based off of Reddit threads

ETA: I suppose if Yessir and Yes'm work, Yesn't could too? Mostly joking… but maybe… 🤔

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[-] Fishnoodle@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

Just say Y'all, it pretty much covers that

[-] RavenFellBlade@startrek.website 9 points 5 months ago

I prefer "fellow human" spoken in a slightly suspicious manner.

[-] renormalizer@feddit.org 9 points 5 months ago

Greetings, sentient!

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 9 points 5 months ago

I use 'homie' sometimes. It's not always the right option but it's another arrow in the quiver.

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[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago
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[-] NickwithaC@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago
[-] otp@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 months ago

This is hard.

Buddy? Sounds dismissive.

My friend? Sounds like you're a scammer or a slimy salesperson.

Pal? Sounds mildly aggressive.

Dude? Arguably masculine.

Gen Alpha might have it right -- "bro" seems to be gender neutral and used by both boys and girls.

[-] glimse@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

Dude is absolutely gender neutral, didn't you learn anything from Good Burger?

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[-] edg@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Marcie calls Peppermint Patty Sir, so maybe that works. Only half joking.

[-] gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

The scousers (people from Liverpool, England, UK) have a very useful one in their dialect, "Youse" (pronounced Ewes, like the sheep)

And it's gender neutral, but also double as a group pronoun

Youse gonna use that?

(Person, are you going to use that?)

Hey youse, heading out?

(Depends on context, can be singular, can be group, either "Person, are you going to go outside?" or "People, are you going to go outside?")

It's v useful

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[-] KittenBiscuits@lemmy.today 8 points 5 months ago

Lean into the southern-ness and call them Honey, Sugar, or Sweetie?

It gets easier to pull off the older I get.

[-] joyjoy@lemmy.zip 8 points 5 months ago

I feel like I might get a call from HR if I use those.

[-] swab148@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 5 months ago

Ants are eating Jim

[-] Nemo@slrpnk.net 7 points 5 months ago

I've written about this before, but "neighbor" or "cousin" or "my friend" usually work. If you can have a bit if fun with it, "Senator" is great. If plural, "folks".

[-] PyroNeurosis@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 5 months ago

I like referring to all as boss or chief.

[-] ___@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 5 months ago

Sounds like something a food truck vendor selling spicy shawarmas would say.

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[-] Crozekiel@lemmy.zip 7 points 5 months ago

My partner and I landed on "Captain" (or the truncated "Cap'n"). But that might be all the star trek we watch bleeding over (I never thought having "make it so, number 1" whispered in my ear would be so hot).

[-] Horsey@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

I like to use “dude” or “guy” in a neutral way.

[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

I often say 'man' as an affectation regardless of gender, but today I accidentally said "thanks man" to an obvious trans woman at the kitchen store and felt really bad but she pretended not to notice.

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[-] gon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 5 months ago
[-] deadbeef79000 5 points 5 months ago

I can't think of one that would be as universal as the sir/ma'am pair.

I think it's probably most polite to ask them.

Or at least to assume one or the other, use it with an enquiring tone, apologise if corrected and move on.

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[-] leadore@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago
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[-] CovfefeKills@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

Just invent something. English isn't even a strictly gendered language. Just don't expect anyone to want to use a lame word like xir or some other derivative hipster shit you gotta stick the landing. You can just choose to create new words and see if something catches on noone will stop you from trying. People do tend to be masc or fem for a reason and probably don't want to be treated like something inbetween so keep that in mind.

[-] kieron115@startrek.website 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I was told "dude" counts as gender neutral these days, but people seem to differ in opinion on that one.

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this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2026
130 points (86.5% liked)

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