Just curious. Why do a lot of guys call each other “man”? What’s the origin of that term? EXAMPLE: “Hey, man. What’s up?”
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3Because they don't remember each other's names. – Hot Licks Sep 21 '20 at 12:09
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When I started calling people 'man', it was for exactly that reason, due to marijuana. – Michael Harvey Sep 21 '20 at 12:13
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Of related interest: How do you say “Come on, man” to a woman?, Is there a word for colloquial forms of address?, and What is a feminine version of 'guys'? among many others. – choster Sep 21 '20 at 15:03
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There's nothing new about addressing another person familiarly as man, woman, boy, girl or child. It can add emphasis or be an affectionate form of address. – Kate Bunting Sep 21 '20 at 15:29
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Man:
as a word of familiar address, originally often implying impatience, c. 1400; hence probably its use as an interjection if surprise or emphasis, since Middle English but especially popular from early 20 c.
(Etymonline)
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