Do you mind male strangers calling you “love” or “darling”?

[Buzyizzy217]

Does it irritate you when complete male strangers call you by a term of endearment, like “love” or “darling”?
To answer the obvious question, yes, it does me and I tell them not to do it. Just curious.

Where I come from people call everyone "love" so that doesn't bother me.

"Darling" I'm not so keen on. I have a colleague who is junior to me and significantly younger and when he calls me to ask for advice/ help he calls me "darlin" and it winds me up. One of these days...

Calm down love

I don’t do it at all, it was drummed into us not to call any of our clients by anything other than their name, but I’ve no objections if a female does it.
Just feels wrong to me from a male stranger. None of my clients do it, thankfully.

Absolutely hate it.

No, not at all

Yes it’s patronising.

A barman called me dating recently ‘ anything else darling’ that was fine. A cheer up love and just a totally random comment isn’t. I would say situational.

Not necessarily. It depends on their manner, and whether I think it's a normal, regional usage. If it's said with even a hint of a dismissive, patronising or impertinent manner, definitely.

Sociolinguistics play a big part. Day to day interactions with the general public 'love' and 'mate' are fine (for me) but in a formal setting they're used to talk down to people.

Only bothers me if they are being condescending but otherwise no, it doesn't bother me

No, not at all - there are worst things to be called

Not at all and I use them myself.
My neighbour calls me bab.

No it doesn’t bother me in the slightest

No, not really. If no offence is intended then it's water off a duck's back. There are too many other things in the world to worry about.

No, I don't mind it. It's a very common term to call someone 'love' where I'm from.

There are many other things to get annoyed about. A kindly word from a stranger isn't one of them.

where I’m from we call each other love , pet, darlin, marra regardless of gender. I don’t work in a professional setting and it is often used in the work place. It’s all about context and tone.

It’s so rare for me to hear ‘hen’, but i love it every time.

Not usually, but everyone is love or flower up here (or t’old love) men included.

No bother from me as love is also used for men by men, 5 miles up the road everyone is cock

Really depends on the context and tone.

I usually respond in kind by calling them treacle or sugar lumps.

I don’t really care tbh. Where I live it’s usually hen or I often get called pal

No, it doesn't bother me. Round here it's used equally by women to strange men. It's just a dialect thing.

No it’s quite sweet usually well intended

Where I live everyone is called love - male, female, young and old!
Doesn’t bother me in the slightest.