My name is Paul and I am not your Pal!

@vandana7 (100604)

• India

15 Nov 15

I was a bit surprised when Grandpalash (I can never forget him), who is an Australian stood up for me against a fellow Indian. I too thought they do not show their age, and his username did. Well, any form of address that indicates age disparity between one person and the other is not a nice thing. In general, I would say nobody likes to be told you are old, irrespective of culture, gender, hair color or lack of it, wrinkles, glasses, and leg pains. lol. Seriously! My father can blow his top if I tell him not to lift somethings. lol. So uncle or not, grandpa or not, Owlwings is indulging whoever is calling him that. Frankly, I never thought Lamby was closer to my age..though his photographs are up there. I mean, in general, westerners are taller, and I put him nearer to 45 or so. And Owlwings a grandpa? That is well, a mystery solved. lol. I wouldn't have guessed his age too. I think it is better to keep others guessing the age. It can be fun. lol. Because owlwings is so knowledgeable about computers, hardware and software, I would have placed him also near about 45 because I can't believe many from previous generation know much about such things. We simply didn't have access to such things, did we? lol. But he could be a young grandpa too?

4 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

Nah... i feel more comfortable with 'grandpas' then the 'buddies' lol And think they are more graceful :)) So you have to hide your age explicitly if you are near me. Maybe I too would dislike it when I reach that age...for now, the idea seems pleasing to me. Yes, he knows a lot. Must be a Benjamin Button grandpa!

4 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

@vandana7 Hmm.... only time I felt strange was when a man twice my age called me as an uncle! lol He was directing his little one to 'make the way for uncles' (me being one, other even younger) This was funny! I thought Oh now I have reached the uncle age... But to think of it, when that little child turns my present age, I won't mind being uncle to him. Time does that... Aging is a beautiful phenomenon. I will try not to be so defensive about it.

Addendum: Younger generation is very rude though. Uncle sounds respectful, so they started using "uncle ji [type]"... say, is it so necessary to be unruly?

4 people like this

@vandana7 (100604)

• India

15 Nov 15

@hora_fugit ..In general it is strange but there were instances when some youngsters called dad uncle ..long ago, and dad was fuming. lol. So I can't exactly say it is our culture or their culture. I have a neighbor here, who is just about a couple of years older than me, he called me this morning and said I am Bhanoji rao uncle calling..yikes..made me feel terrible. lol. So to put things in perspective, I had to hint..in some other way...you have been kind like a brother to me..type. 6 years age difference does not make him my uncle for god's sake..lol

2 people like this

Always smiling

@allknowing (137822)

• India

15 Nov 15

Cultural differences do take a toll but as they say once bitten is twice shy in that if one knows that different countries have different ways to address people then one should learn to do it. As for me I do not like the concept of strangers being addressed as uncle or aunt.

4 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

I am liberal with having uncles but not aunts. Need to probe the reason. lol Not bitten so far, but already started using sir... peril doesn't end though. Now they want me to call by names only!

1 person likes this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

@vandana7 Behenji.... haha not sure if that's acceptable now. And calling an elderly as bhaiyya...oops.

2 people like this

@vandana7 (100604)

• India

15 Nov 15

I like the northern concept..bhaiyya and behenji..wow..quite like Vivekananda ..problem solved in a jiffy.

2 people like this

MysD

@mysdianait (66009)

• Italy

15 Nov 15

I have been called a lot of things both online and off

and I don't mind most of them as long as they fit (or the person using them thinks that they do

) but there is one that I can't stand as it doesn't fit at all and therefore no-one should use it and that is "mate"

I am no-one's mate and have no iintention of taking up that position either! I remember back in the old days and I was aunt to so many friends here. A long list at Christmas time LOL

4 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

The first sound escaping my lips was "oink" when I saw you in my notifications!

Got some stalking to do... then will respond to you. Right here!

3 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

Umm... so even you have a no-no word! lol Yeah, I too remember you being Aunt D to so many here :) though I'd never call you that. Got some issues with the aunts....

2 people like this

MysD

@mysdianait (66009)

• Italy

15 Nov 15

@hora_fugit .oink???

3 people like this

purplealabaster

@purplealabaster (22091)

• United States

15 Nov 15

Even my nieces and nephews do not call me "Aunt", because we are close in age and more like sisters and brothers. The great-nieces and great-nephews call me "Aunt", because they are about my child's age, and it seems more appropriate.

3 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

16 Nov 15

My brother is almost the same age of my youngest aunt. And he loved to tease her...

Anyhow, we can't get away with calling by names.

3 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

16 Nov 15

@purplealabaster call names...

oh no! lol

3 people like this

purplealabaster

@purplealabaster (22091)

• United States

16 Nov 15

@hora_fugit

At one point, I did try to make them call me "Aunt" as a way to rub it in that I was slightly older and supposedly had more authority. They laughed at me and said that we were the same age, so I had no authority over them.

As you said, we should not call people names, though.

3 people like this

Boingboing

@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

15 Nov 15

I like the Indian habit of calling all older men Uncle and older women Auntie. I also like it when people in India call me Didi. However, this sense of a universal family sits well in India but doesn't work in the west. People anywhere in Europe would be surprised to be addressed as auntie or uncle unless they were indeed blood relatives. Sir, madam, or just a polite 'excuse me' and not calling the person anything would be more expected.

4 people like this

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

15 Nov 15

I am not much happy with calling people Sir or Madam... but I abide. At the same time I will not call @vandana7 or @mysdianait as Auntie too.

They are my dear friends...surpassing this 'formality'. Not calling anything is the safer way out... just like when I switch to English to hide the tone of 'you'. Addendum: I don't call anyone Didi! Have got just so many elder sisters...

6 people like this

mommaj

@mommaj (23112)

• United States

15 Nov 15

Just as someone who is interested in the varied culture, I almost understood the ji terminology until you got to the second paragraph. This was quite an interesting read.

4 people like this

@vandana7 (100604)

• India

15 Nov 15

@hora_fugit ..that is cheating..didi is for elder sisters, but didis get something on Raakhi festival and Bhai dooj festival. If we become didis we are entitled to so much..

4 people like this

Namelesss

@Namelesss (3365)

• United States

20 Nov 15

Here in the southeastern part of the US we are pretty laid back. Sir and Mam are usually reserved for people we don't know. We have a saying here, "you can call me anything you like just don't call me late to supper".

3 people like this

Black Forest gateau granted protected status

@hora_fugit (5862)

• India

20 Nov 15

Somehow I think people there would like more to be a 'pal' or a 'bud(dy)' than a brother....

We are pretty demanding relatives!

2 people like this

theSids

@thesids (22180)

• Bhubaneswar, India

15 Nov 15

I always am suspicious of what they teach

I never knew until I read it here on a discussion from someone that Black Forest Cake was never served with Strawberries.

2 people like this

Boingboing

@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

15 Nov 15

Black forest is cherries, not strawberries. And in Germany it has to contain kirsch. In fact the recipe has protected status:

www.telegraph.co.uk

The Black Forest gateau, Germany’s most famous contribution to the cake world, is to join the ranks of Cornish pasties and Stilton after the European Commission granted the multi-layered dessert protected status.

5 people like this