Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Folksy, Being
A polite librarian should always refer to library patrons and colleagues with charming folksy names like darling, buddy, sweetie, sweetheart, champ, sport, honey, tiger, baby, babe, or dear. Your deliberately calculated efforts to sound like someone's grandmother will be a great complement to your cardigan, your glasses on a chain, and the bowl of hard candy you keep on your desk.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
Yes, but it's more fun to come up with better names, like "Metaphysical Man", "law library guy", and "Avoid this guy like the plague"
Have to be careful, though, or on some Thursday afternoon when you're feeling especially spunky/loopy, you'll find yourself using such soubriquettes as "Fella", "Big Fella", "Great Old Big Fella", "y'old coot, you!", "Miss Sassy Pants", "Honey Britches", "Buster", "Pal", "Bub", "Stinker", "Crazy Joe", "Scooter", "mister muffin man", "Big Chief", "tiny twin", "snookums", "apple blossom", "loverboy", "puddin'" etc. etc.
In our building, "Pumpkin" is the nickname of choice (also pronounced "Punkin," depending on the age/regional origin of the speaker).
It's cute, non-threatening, and not age- or gender-specific.
I have actually found myself referring to children (to their faces!) as "kiddo." What has happened to me?
When speaking with boy-children, I tend to call them "Bud."
Like Heather B I often use "kiddo". I don't work on the children's desk enough to know the kids names, but I do know their faces. I think they are lucky I don't call them "brat" or "devil's spawn".
I do sometimes great my teens with a cheerful "what's up, buttercup?", especially the males.
Post a Comment