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Tue 24 May, 2016 09:05 pm
Old man can be the address form of one's father, so as Dad.
what if someone want to call an elder citizen with some respect, will the "old man" be proper?
When the dad and the son are fighting, would the son call the father "dad"? If not, what will he call his old man?
@BelJoe,
Addressing an elder as Old Man will not be well received unless you and he have a very good relationship - in which case, you wouldn't be asking.
@ehBeth,
I have heard it to
refer to a father, as "My old man got drunk last night and wrecked the car". It is not especially respectful.
I don't think we're getting to Joe on this one.
There may be some confusion here because the English will call one another "Old Boy," but that has a special context of the alumni of Public Schools (what Americans call private schools). It has no reference to parents, of course.
@roger,
In this case, which address words will be suitable? "Sir"? Is there any other?
@Setanta,
Except "dad" and "father", is there alternatives to serve as the address form, esp. when the twos are arguing?
@BelJoe,
Sir, dad, or father. As I said, you might refer to your father as 'my old man', but you would not address him that way unless you wanted to express profound contempt for him. If that's what you want, go right ahead.
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