Nothing pisses me off more than messaging a complete stranger on WhatsApp to make an enquiry, and the next thing I see is, “Hi, my dear.”
My dear?
Who is your dear?
Do I know you?
Have we met before?
Did we attend the same school? Because I genuinely need to understand where this sudden familiarity is coming from.
When did “my dear” become a regular greeting for just anybody? Isn’t it supposed to be a term of endearment? Something you say to someone you’re fond of or share some level of closeness with? So why are we throwing it around like it’s compulsory punctuation?
At this point, I feel like some people need to be flogged. Respectfully.
“My Dear” Is Not a Greeting for Everybody
There’s a difference between being polite and being overly familiar. If I’m contacting you to ask about your products, services or opening hours, a simple “Hello” or “Good afternoon” will do.
You don’t have to add “my dear” to make the conversation friendly. We’re not close, and that’s perfectly fine. Let’s allow basic greetings to do their job.
Personally, it gives me the irk.
The Unnecessary Familiarity Is Getting Out of Hand
It’s not just “my dear”. Nigerians have a way of assigning relationships that don’t exist. One minute you’re asking someone about the price of a dress, the next you’re being called bestie, darling, sweetheart or even love.
Please, let’s not rush things. We can have a perfectly pleasant conversation without pretending we’ve known each other for five years. Familiarity should not be forced.
Some People Need to Be Flogged for This Habit
I know some people genuinely mean well when they use these expressions, and perhaps it’s just how they communicate. But that doesn’t mean everybody enjoys being addressed that way.
There are people who find it warm and friendly, while others find it irritating or unnecessarily familiar. And honestly, if you don’t know how someone feels about it, just stick to a regular greeting. Nobody has ever been offended by a simple hello.
Las Las
Anyway, if you are one of those people who randomly calls strangers “my dear”, please take this as your gentle warning. We can be civil, friendly and respectful without becoming besties in the first three seconds of a WhatsApp conversation.
But maybe I’m the problem. Do you find “my dear” annoying, or am I just fighting an innocent greeting
Read more interesting writeups here!
0 Comments