Here's What Term Different Regions Use To Refer To Their Friends... The Northeast Calls Everyone "Pal"?

(Source) — “It seems safe to report that dude has supplanted totally as the word most often uttered by American youth,” claimed Richard Hill in his 1994 paper on the history of the word “dude.” That might be true, but as it turns out, “dude” is more popular in some parts of the United States than others. In other areas of the country, people say “pal,” “buddy,” and other colloquial vocatives—nouns that usually refer to a person.

Gotta say this one surprises me. Seems like no one here overwhelmingly uses any of these, and that I agree with. But “pal” is the most prominent one? I’ve never heard someone from outside of Southie use “pal” in a friendly way, and even the Southie people keep you guessing. It’s always condescending. “Pal” is like “chief” or “boss,” if someone is calling you that then they’re really telling you that you’re a fucking asshole who’s about 5 seconds away from getting punched in the mouth. That’s just a fact. If someone calls me pal I immediately get my hands up because fisticuffs are about to happen.

As for what I call my friends? I’m not even sure. I think I call them my buddies? But if I’m talking directly to them I think I call them dude? I don’t know, I just let whatever fly. Like if I’m introducing them I say “Hey this is my buddy Pat” but if I’m talking directly to Pat I’ll say something like “Dude hurry up.” I think that’s how it goes. Either way, I definitely never say bro, fella or pal.