Mastering Slang: Dude

dude

Our Guest Blogger is Ciara, one of our awesome tutors!

If you are in the US for any period of time you will here the word dude in general conversation, typically between men. This manifestation of the word has been steadily increasing since the late 80’s and continues to grow. It is important to know the uses of this popular slang term. You will never hear this word in a business conversation, and it is not appropriate for use with a professor.

Watch Dude – Bud Light to see some of the appropriate uses of the word. This commercial is the epitome of how men use dude today. It can be said in times of awe, in times of exasperation, and in times of total disbelief. The tone in which you use the word says a lot about what you mean.

Dude is one word many meanings. It can mean ‘that is awesome’ or ‘I cannot believe you are doing this.’ Men also typically say dude to other men, and women can say dude to other women. Although some college-aged men claim to use it with women as well, it is very atypical for that to occur.

If you want to see more examples for the use of dude, I suggest watching the movie Dude, Where’s My Car. Released in 2000 and starring Ashton Kutcher and Sean William Scott, this comedy is not only hilarious but shows a small slice of American culture!

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