I often hear people calling others Boss, and I dont understand where this is coming from. At your place of employment you call your supervisor Sir, Ma'am, Jim, Mary, etc. Dont convicts call prison guards Boss? Any input on this?
I sometimes call the owner of the company I work for, Captain. He is in fact a captain, USCG certified for vessels under 40 gross tons. The captain part comes from the fact that he owns and operates a trout/salmon charter boat service.
I had a 20 something year old co-worker calling me "boss", as in "yes boss", "sure boss". I told him to STOP, as I found it improper. I wasn't his boss, and even if I was, I wouldn't like it anyway. Even after I asked him to stop he still did it occasionally, but I don't think it was intentional, but rather part of his speech pattern. We no longer work together, so it is no longer an issue, but I'm sure wherever he is working he's calling someone "boss". IMHO, it's low class. -TomT
In this state your elected District Attorney, who's official position is refered to as District Atty. General, with folks referring to them as only "General" or General (last name).
When an inmate called me boss, I always stopped what I was doing, stared them down with a look of pure hatred, and said, "O no, your the boss."
I wasn't called boss very often, but they were right about it, when it came to dealing with those scum I was a pure [bleep]. which is still better than they deserve.
to iritate my old "boss" I would call him anything that sounded commanding. Admeral, Chief, Master, Duke, ; we got a long very well it it was always a game and always with respect but it was fun to get him to say "What the F&*^ is wrong with you"
I worked in a place in Washington D.C. once where the building engineer wanted to be called "Chief." Seemed kinda funny to me. He talked about being in the Black Panthers back in the '60s.
i've never heard anyone call someone "boss" without it being condescending. Like calling someone chief, slick, pal, tough guy.
I have also heard boss used where I work, and it always came through in their way of saying it that they were trying to show that they were really in charge, not the boss.
People use Boss, Chief here all the time. Nobody thinks anything of it.
Like when you see somebody at the gas station and you can't remember their name, but they remember yours. A simple "Hey Chief,..how's it going" will get you out of trouble until you can remember who they are.
Think Bugs Bunny, "What's Up Doc?" He was never talking to a Doc, just another term for "dude".
I have had a bunch of people that I worked with use the term "Boss" to me. Mostly when they wanted me to make a decision that they weren't comfortable with and knew I was going to catch the grief anyway, if there was a screw up. I never thought anything about it. Course if they thought I was doing something stupid they would just tell me. It worked pretty well that way.
I guess when I have heard "Boss" or "Chief" used it was just an acknowledgement that the other person had more authority to make a decision. Course I've never worked in a prison either. My guess would be that a lot depends on what kind of environment you work in.
In the Army we had section chiefs, all NCO�s, and they were always addressed as �Chief�. I don�t think I ever heard one addressed as Sergeant so and so, even the battalion commander would call them Chief.
When my father, who was self employed, wanted to defer a decision he would always say he had to ask the Boss, i.e. my mom.
Doing that in the South means.. you have been,will be or preparing to be on the "Chain gang", often used to clean the roadside during the summer months...
Pal, Buddy, Friend, Boss, Captain....it's all people who recognize your face but can't remember your name. I don't like being called Pal or buddy. Call me Jeff or don't say anything at all.
Used the term Boss for the boss for years, even the Sheriff was boss, nothing demeaning just recognition he was the Boss.
me too, even for those who are not the "boss" but may be able to help you out....I find the term particularly effective for service people that help me.....as a sign of respect I sometimes call them "boss".....have never had one respond negatively....
One of the kids that works for me calls me "Boss", not in a disrespectful way, beats the informality of calling me by my first name and doesn't sound as regimented as "Sir" or Mr. Edwards
I am a Project Manager on a site in VA right now with a few hundred Latino workers mostly, they all call me "boss" for them its simply a respect thing. Some I have asked not to call me "boss" just call me Bill. Now those guys call me Mr. Bill
had a guy who use to work with me that would call me boss, really annoying, he also claimed to be a taekwondo expert. long story short i knocked his ass out one day, after that he only called me by my name.
I am fully aware of the old connotations. I am old enough to remember chain gangs and white only fountains & toilets at the courthouse & elsewhere. Also could usually spot of con just out of the pen or a repeat offender by his calling anybody in uniform Boss or Cap'n.
Not how I use it and knew lots of working men that called the boss or owner "boss" out of respect in the north.
In the Vol fire dept we use boss at times refering to officers in our dept....or to a senior member who might be a "Boss" in a paid dept in NYC....No desrespect meant..none taken.
I can only answer for myself but I don't call anyone boss...if I did it would only be in condecending manner.
Exactly, and that's the intention. If someone calls you boss, it's meant to be condescending.
NOT So in many cases.
I have been working as a foreman of a crew of 25 since 1985.
Some of the most sincere and most polite farm boys you have ever met have come through my crew. Some have a hard time calling anyone in authority by his first name, and I won't stand for Mister. (After all, I work for a living too.)
So some will use "Boss" as a compromise. And mean it in a respectful manner.
Also, I still see the effects from the plantation days on a few of our truck drivers. Those of extraordinary dark complexion and roots in South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama will often refer to the white Dock Foreman as "Boss". But they do not address his Mexican counter part as such.
As my dad said 'Your mother could walk into a room full of people and say [bleep] you and they would all want to kill her but I could walk into the same room and say [bleep] you and everyone would laugh'
Used the term Boss for the boss for years, even the Sheriff was boss, nothing demeaning just recognition he was the Boss.
me too, even for those who are not the "boss" but may be able to help you out....I find the term particularly effective for service people that help me.....as a sign of respect I sometimes call them "boss".....have never had one respond negatively....
bingo
wow never meant any disrespect towards anyone when using that term! gonna have to rethink it, sounds like it's offensive to some depending upon vocation or region.
you'll know if I mean disrespect it's another word that starts with a b and rhymes with rich!
Always hated the term 'Boss'. I had eight people under my supervision and never once used the term. My number two called me that and I always played it down. Much prefered the team approach.
A citizen who was irate with me once asked for the name of my superior. I told him I'd never met the man who was my superior but he could have the number of the guy above me in the chain of command. He remained pissed.
I used Boss for people I really respected and they new it. I get called Boss once in a while, I know what they mean by it. I am actually a card carrying certified "Engine Boss". While I was in construction the new guys referred to foremen and leads as boss until it was determined that they would stick around a while. It was kinda part of earning your place. After that it went to first name basis.
