Every time that I've volunteered with children and youth at church the SOP is to call adults Mr [insert first name] so I'm Mr. Todd. Of course, that is Texas so YMMV.

I am addressed by "Bro" at least 3 or 4 times a day if I'm forced out into the real world. I don't think I've ever heard Mr Jack though. Must be regional. I get called Sir alot also. If I could just get them to call me Sir Bro! It has a cool surfer knight ring to it.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
I think it may be a regional thing. I know when I lived out in the boonies of South Carolina, it seemed to be a standard form of address to someone of a generation older than yourself, IF you knew them that well.

This. If you're from the South, Mr.'firstname' or Ms/Miss/Mrs 'firstname" is the norm. It is a holdover from the early days of the USA.
 

I've started hearing it lately more and more. Used to be the only time you heard it is when some older black person was talking to a white person. Like on Gone With The Wind there is usage of it.

It doesn't sound disrespectful to me.

And in a formal medical setting, you aren't supposed to use last names, which leaves some elderly folks a little unsettled- to hear a young whippersnapper that's about to room them call them "John" instead of "Mr. Smith" smacks of impertinence..softening it with a "Mr." John seems to help. And our Dr. goes by his first name as well..Dr. "John" instead of Dr. "Smith".

Still respectful, but more approachable.

I am Mr. Hud to most of my kids' friends. And a lot of their parents are Mr. or Mrs. First name to them. Doesn't bother me at all. Around here it's the honorific attached to a familiar elder.

I noticed the trend when my son was in preschool. They called all their teachers by their first name with Mr. Or Ms. I've only noticed this once in public from a young man at Arby's who always calls me Mr. Chris. Feels very odd coming from him.

That form is fairly common in the South, and I think is more common than it used to be.

It is generally used by younger people toward people they are fairly familiar with, such that Mr. Smith seems too formal. Maybe a teacher or neighbor. Or when an adult has said call me "Joe" but parents don't want children calling an adult by their first name.

Personally, I don't like it. If we are to be formal, call me Mr. Smith. If not, call me Joe. I don't like the half measure.

I have the idea that this was also used in years past between blacks and white, who wished to have some degree of formality, but less than using Mr. Smith. I haven't really been able to find if that is true. I don't remember that, but I didn't encounter many black people in the '60s.

I lived a good bit of my life as a child in the South and do not really remember "Mr. Joe" being used at all. An adult was Mr. Smith or Sir to me. If they were family, they could be called Grandpa, and I called my Uncles and Aunts by their first names.

I was born and raised in the South and have heard and used this form of address all my life. It's pretty common for young children to address friends of their parents in this manner.

I think the usage has gained some popularity as a "cute" form of address. I'll hear it sometimes when adults are talking to young kids and the point certainly isn't to be formal.

Due to my career I work with teams of technicians, many from the Philippines. They normally refer to me as "Sir Mike" or "Mr. Mike", from them I consider it a term of respect.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
If they were family, they could be called Grandpa, and I called my Uncles and Aunts by their first names.

At family gatherings, we always addressed uncles and aunts by that tittle added to their first name. Made for a lot less confusion as to whom you were referring to at the moment

My co-worker's little kids call me Mr. Mark, as a term of respect. I have no problem with it.

I hate when people call me chief or boss. Hate it. So disrespectful.

Same as most of the others- few of my friends kids call me Mr. Mike though I generally try to encourage just first names when I can. Titles don't mean a damn thing- I've called countless people sir or ma'am that I have zero respect for.

SOP for around here in small town Tennessee for as long as I can remember, and I'm 61.
It is automatic almost, and a sign of respect.

It's a hybrid...
For example, For Mr. Andy Jones.
Less formal than "Mr. Jones".
Less personal than "Andy".
So "Mr Andy"

Same for the ladies as in Miss or "Mrs Anita".

Kind of reminds me of "Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can call me Ray Jay or you can call me R. Jay, or you can call me R.J. J. but you doesn't have to call me Johnson!

quote:

Originally posted by FenderBender:
So they don't call you speedoo?

Oh well, you tried.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I have the idea that this was also used in years past between blacks and white, who wished to have some degree of formality, but less than using Mr. Smith.

I believe this is the true origin of the practice, at least in the South. When I grew up in East TX, the woman who came to clean the house, Beulah, used to address us all as Mr. or Missy/Mrs. [first name]. This was in the early 1960's.
 

What about being called "Sonny Buck"?

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