[Sherwood]

In all situations, buddy is meant to be an inoffensive word for someone you don't know very well. It has no formality to it whatsoever, which is why it can be used as a good or bad term.

It is really a word that depends on context. If it sounds friendly, it is friendly. If it sounds hostile or demeaning, it's a way of confronting someone without having to get in a fight.

If someone's attitude toward you changes when they start calling you buddy instead of sir, it's because they feel socially equal to you, so they are more relaxed.

there are exceptions to this, of course, but in daily English buddy is generally meant as a term of unfamiliarity. Once you know someone's name and feel comfortable calling them by it, you no longer use buddy.

 

[krmathis]

As I though it seems to be a loose slang word for "Friend".

 

[Spareribs]

A good way to find buddies is if you join the military or even in jail. I knew a guy who made lots of good friendships when he was in prison.

My point is that institutions like school, military, prisons can be breeding grounds for lasting friendships

 

[droido256]

Sorry, if this question is odd for some of you.
But it is kind of serious matter to me, and it took some guts for me to ask this.

I am not a native enlish speaker.
Even if I studied, married and lived here in US more than 10 years, the word "buddy" still is weird to me. I sometimes don't know how to take the word when someone I don't know called me buddy.

Here's some observations.

1. people call their friends buddy. And I have no problem with this.
2. but people often use the word to call complete stranger.
3. people tend to use the word when they get upset.
4. people do not usually call their boss buddy, whether they are upset or not.
5. when young people, especially those spoiled kids, call old people buddy, some get really angry, some seem not care. Why is that?
6. this guy at my local hamburger store calls me buddy when I wore T-shirts and jeans. The same guy usually calls me sir when I wore suits.
8. when someone suddenly start call you buddy instead of sir. He's attitude changes.
9. A person like to call others buddy usually gets uncomfortable when he is being called as buddy.

etc, etc...

The word buddy itself means friend as far as i know, but sometimes it simply has nothing to do with the friendship. It rather feel like the word is used as a friendly way of looking down someone, especially when they think the someone is not able/going to kick their butt. If that is true, it is one hell of dishonerable word.

I might be wrong, and i might be being unnecessarily negative about the word. But this simple word is very confusing to the eyes of non-native speaker.

Someone please clarify it for me.

Means friend to me.

 

[Spareribs]

On the opposite end:

A sad situation for old ladies who may have been very popular when she was young and had lots of buddies. But now she has no one.

I feel bad for this lady. As an example

 

[wuwhere]

 

[wuwhere]

 

[wuwhere]