Rebecca 0 #1 December 8, 2004 Maybe because they're generally useless, but I love little "reports" like this one: Dude.QuoteBy MIKE CRISSEY, Associated Press Writer PITTSBURGH — Dude, you've got to read this. A linguist from the University of Pittsburgh has published a scholarly paper deconstructing and deciphering the word "dude," contending it is much more than a catchall for lazy, inarticulate surfers, skaters, slackers and teenagers. An admitted dude-user during his college years, Scott Kiesling said the four-letter word has many uses: in greetings ("What's up, dude?"); as an exclamation ("Whoa, Dude!"); commiseration ("Dude, I'm so sorry."); to one-up someone ("That's so lame, dude."); as well as agreement, surprise and disgust ("Dude."). Kiesling says in the fall edition of American Speech that the word derives its power from something he calls cool solidarity — an effortless kinship that's not too intimate. Cool solidarity is especially important to young men who are under social pressure to be close with other young men, but not enough to be suspected as gay. In other words: Close, dude, but not that close. "It's like man or buddy, there is often this male-male addressed term that says, 'I'm your friend but not much more than your friend,'" said Kiesling, whose research focuses on language and masculinity. To decode the word's meaning, Kiesling listened to conversations with fraternity members he taped in 1993. He also had undergraduate students in sociolinguistics classes in 2001 and 2002 write down the first 20 times they heard "dude" and who said it during a three-day period. He found the word taps into nonconformity and a new American image of leisurely success. Anecdotally, men were the predominant users of the word, but women sometimes call each other dudes. Less frequently, men will call women dudes and vice versa. But that comes with some rules, according to self-reporting from students in a 2002 language and gender class included in the paper. "Men report that they use dude with women with whom they are close friends, but not with women with whom they are intimate," according to the study. His students also reported that they were least likely to use the word with parents, bosses and professors. Historically, dude originally meant "old rags" — a "dudesman" was a scarecrow. In the late 1800s, a "dude" was akin to a "dandy," a meticulously dressed man, especially out West. It became "cool" in the 1930s and 1940s, according to Kiesling. Dude began its rise in the teenage lexicon with the 1981 movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." "Dude" also shows no signs of disappearing as more and more of our culture becomes youth-centered, said Mary Bucholtz, an associate professor of linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "I have seen middle-aged men using 'dude' with each other," she said. Follow up questions: Ladies, do you use 'dude' with each other? Your guy buds? Men, do you ever address ladies as 'dude'? What about someone you're intimate with? Personally, I like to demonstrate the diversity of the word. I use it all the time, to everyone, though I generally don't call my girlier girl friends dude. you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheenster303 0 #2 December 8, 2004 I use dude all the time.. My sister always said it to me when I was growing up so it just kind of stuck. I normally only say it to friends. Like when I'm saying something important I'll say "Listen dude..." or "Dude let me tell ya something". I guess I'm a weirdo.I'm so funny I crack my head open! P.M.S. #102 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #3 December 8, 2004 DUDE!!!!, that article was cool.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darius11 12 #4 December 8, 2004 I have been told i use "Dude" Too much. I was like fuck no dude. My favorite use of Dude was in Basketball.I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #5 December 8, 2004 I wonder whose money funded that study? mh . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #6 December 8, 2004 I was driving my kids and 11 year old nephew around looking at Christmas lights the other night. At one impressive house my nephew said, "...and look, they even have Mary and that other dude out front". And he's the only one of us who goes to church! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #7 December 8, 2004 I use that word frequently. What's more irritating is that girls, especially the ones younger than 26 are STILL stuck in Valley Girl world (which came out about the same time as Fast Times). I just wanna shake the next woman I hear using: - The word "like" as an adverb "He like SO went there, girl!" - This like "adverb" with an adjective, sometimes even in a prepositional phrase. For example: "Like, totally!" - An exclamatory phrase with the "like" adverb and trying to turn it into a participal phrase. Like, OH MY GOD! So, like shatup already cuz like I totally want to smak you in the face when you're like talking to like your ex-boyfriend and stuff and it like TOTALLY drives me up the wall because we're eating dinner. Like, O-M-G. ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pajarito 0 #8 December 8, 2004 Duuuhuuuuhuuuhuuude! - Dude?... - Pssss...Dude.... - Dude??? - Dude - Uggg...Dude.... - Dude!!! - Dude........Dude...... - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #9 December 8, 2004 Sweet!It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebecca 0 #10 December 8, 2004 What does MINE say!? you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #11 December 8, 2004 QuoteWhat does MINE say!? LMAO! The only movie that ever made me laugh more than Baseketball. Now, after watching that movie, and its' liberal use of the word dude, are you sure about the "not quite gay" comment in your original post? (Think the scene with the 2 cars, and Fabio). It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebecca 0 #12 December 8, 2004 I think that was a bizarre clash of intense competitveness and hetero aversion to a homosexual encounter. If winning's at stake... do what you gotta do! Hell, I know one person who might just read this who did the same thing for free liquor in college... you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #13 December 8, 2004 I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, uh, that, or his Dudeness, or Duder, or ah, El Duderino, if, you know, you're not into the whole brevity thing... Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebecca 0 #14 December 8, 2004 Bwahahaha!! Ah, the Dude. Makes me want a white russian! (the drink, you pervs!) you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
