Do Americans (Slang Question)

[HEyHEY]

DO Americans use the phrase "Buddy" when they don't know the name of a third party?

Example "I've gotta take my TV up to Buddy up the hill's to get fixed."

[Bertha Venation]

1. I think south of your border, Buddy is known as "The Guy."

:shrug: :)

[Robb]

2. Yep.

In fact, when I first got my dog, I would call him "buddy", because I'm an idiot and in the panic of dealing with an animal in the house for the first time, I forgot what I named him.

Funnier still, I had named him "Bodhi" (BO-dee). :eyes:

[HEyHEY]

4. Even in the sense I mean?

Basically instead of saying "That guy" you'd just say "Buddy"

Like "Buddy with the red car smashed it on a pole"

[no name no slogan]

17. We say that in MN once in a while

...and you hear it more up north near the border. Of course, they also say "eh" quite a bit up there, once you get north of Da Range.

[Cannikin]

5. the dude...the homeboy.

[Cat Atomic]

3. You look beautiful in the candlelight... BUUUUDDY!

http://www.pcshock.com/Moo/sounds/SpaceGhost/candle.wav

[kixot]

6. Not in Florida.

"Dude" or "Homie" sometimes. "Fulano" in Cuban.

[Rabrrrrrr]

No, it would always be the guy or the dude if it's like your example

One would only use buddy for a real buddy, or if you are anmgry at someone in traffic "Hey, buddy, the light's been green fro 0.004 seconds. Move it!"

Or if you've met someone at the bar, had a few drinks, and not sure of the guy's name (or even youa re sure of it) you can, "Hey, Buddy, I have to go pee - be right back."

Otherwise, Buddy isn't a word we use very often, and it's usually condescinding.

But we'd never talk about a "buddy" in the third person, except to say, "He's my buddy".

[HEyHEY]

8. There's a title....

I can't remember if it's a movie or a book but it's called
"Buddy whasshisname and the other fellers"

[Hand]

15. Neither, IIRC...

They're a Newfie band, as I recall. Country, sort of, but very Newfie...

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. oops -double clicked my posting

(this space intentionally left blank except for this non-blank portion)

[SOteric]

9. I hear it a lot around here, but Seattle's not that far south

of the border, and some of you Canuckians may be influencing the trend.

[Solly Mack]

10. I don't

If I know them, and they are my buddy, then I use the term buddy.
Otherwise...nope

I have been known to say whatshisface..I'm taking this to whathisface..up on the hill, you know the guy...but never buddy..

[Tripper11]

11. I brought it down from Canada...

when I moved to Seattle. I use it all the time, I get funny looks someimtes, but most seem to get it.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

12. Dude

or guy.

when we're addressing someone, it's buddy or pal.

[NoPasaran]

13. I used to hear it in Pittsburgh

When I was in college 25 years ago, especially after someone had had an Iron City or six.
I have an uncle in Connecticut we call Buddy even though his name is John.

[no_arbusto]

14. Terrance and Phillip

I think it's just a Canadian thing.

"Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow"

PHILLIP: Excuse me buddy.
TERRANCE: Why, did you fart?
PHILLIP: I'm looking for a mechanic. Can you tell me how to get to the auto garage.
TERRANCE: Sure, buddy! All you do is go down to...(farts)
PHILLIP: I'm sorry, buddy, but could you tell me how to get to the auto garage without farting.
TERRANCE: Sure, you go the same way, except stick your finger up your ass.
PHILLIP: No, no, no! I mean could you tell me the directions again without YOU farting?
TERRANCE: Oh sure, just stick your finger up MY ass!
PHILLIP: Alright, no problem buddy.

[Sapphocrat]

16. Never heard it used that way at all

The only time I use "Buddy" is to some guy I'm pleased with ("Hey, buddy, good for you!") -- or at (not to) some guy who's just pissed me off ("Hey, Buddy, WTF are you doing leaning on my car?").

No-name third party? Joe Blow, Joe Doakes, WhatsHisFace, Whatsis...

[ZenLefty]

18. That is absolutely absurd.

This is America. When your TV is broken, you go and buy a new one on your credit card. You don't get the old one fixed. Sheesh! :P

[Interrobang]

19. I think you got that from a Newfie, HEyHEY!

I say "Buddy" using it as a generic name for someone whose name I don't know, but it's not native to my idiolect. I got it from a guy named Steve Squires, whom we all called Newf, because he was one. As far as I know, it's pretty native to Newfoundland, and has only spread elsewhere because Newfs get around... :)

The usage further up is a bit different -- "buddy" as a nickname ("Hey, buddy!") versus Buddy as a name-like syntactical marker ("Buddy t-boned his car into the tree across the street.") The corresponding female name-like syntactical marker (I'm told) is "Missis." So, "Buddy and Missis who bought the brick house leave garbage all over the lawn."

[voice of reason]

20. I wouldn't say that

It sounds odd to me. But, I'd understand it if you said it to me.

[devilgrrl]

21. My friends in Toronto used "buddy" all the time...

though, I have heard people in the US use it but not quite as often as those nutty Torontonians. :-)

Go Sabres! :evilgrin: