When did it become acceptable to address men as "Mr" and then their First name instead of their last name?

Mr. Clarence? Sounds like a diddler

That's so stupid... It's either 'James' or Mr. Smith.
And its 'Mr. Smith' until you tell someone it's 'ok' to call you 'James'.

Where do you live? I'ts not common where I live (ArkLaTex area).

Only time I've seen that is from non-US peeps

Mr. clarence diddler.

Texas

I don't know for sure and could absolutely be wrong about this... but the first time I started hearing it was from black culture. Again, I don't know where it actually came about, but as consciousness goes, it can flow everywhere into the zeitgeist even if it did originate there.

Who knows who gives a f*** dude probably some black lady calling her older sugar daddy that

Nope...not anymore. It's happening with me everywhere and by educated people. I was at the doctor's office a couple of months ago and they did it. I tried to correct them and you'd have thought I tried to assault them. You could tell they instantly branded me "the angry guy". Which is fine with me because I think they are freaking ignorant but it just shows how devoted people are to this new & incorrect way of addressing people.

So do I, but in the far N.E. region (ArkLaTex area), Texas is huge it's the size of or bigger than most EU countries it would help if you could narrow it down.

I give a fuck. I'm not okay with the dumbing down of society.

Hey buddy let me tell you something give a f****** one hand and s*** in the other

South central TX. But a client in South Carolina who is white just referred to me as "Mr Clarence". It's annoying as hell to me because I do not enjoy the dumbing down of this society.

Last Edited by Clarence Worley on 02/08/2022 07:17 PM

All customer service that black or brown. Asians and white usually get it right

Maybe you may be experiencing this at govt offices and like you said at doctors appointments. Could be away to make you feel inferior to them.

I saw it first in 1990s in Korea or Japan.

In prison, they call you by your last name as if it's your first. It's to remove individual personification.

It's been done in the South (USA) for decades, when addressing someone who you know well enough to call by their first name, except it's considered slightly more formal and respectful.

Well black people did/do this. I think it is a sign of respect. Indian people do this too.

But recently white people have been addressing me this way (strange.)

I’ve noticed in the south it was always pretty common to address women that way, Miss Susie, Miss Ellie- maybe equality of the sexes has finally appeared.

Interesting that you chose prison over the military in your example.

I don't know how long, but this is common here in Louisiana. Black, white, hispanic, asian... everyone here says Mr or Ms (first name). I grew up hearing this.

When South American invaders refused to learn English !

I hope i cleared that up for you .

Yes, this.

I have family in Alabama and such addressing is very common.

'Mr. Rick', 'Miss Brenda', etc.

I sure that OP is talking about in a professional setting, even in the South that has not been common. I was born and raised in Houston, TX, lived in Slidell (New Orleans)LA, for many years and now I live by Shreveport, LA.

It's meant to convey a degree of respect while maintaining social distance, i.e. not wanting to appear overly familiar.

It's a very common part of the social dynamic in the southern states and intended as a positive gesture.

Particularly useful in places like Louisiana where pronouncing Cajun/French derivative last names if you're not native to the area leads to butchering pronunciation. Which, ironic given your post, is pretty disrespectful.

Or head on up north to somewhere like Chicago or Milwaukee and see how you do with a last name like Pryzbilski...

I work in a law firm in New Orleans. I hear this every day at work.

Dammit, Jim.

Southerners in the usa have done this forever afaik.