From: Martin DeMello <martindemello@...>
Date: 2008-05-19T03:45:14+09:00
Subject: Re: Dude?

On Sat, May 17, 2008 at 12:10 AM, Robert Dober <robert.dober@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear native speakers
>
> I have been quite bothered with the usage of the word "dude" recently.
> Not that I dislike the word itself but I feel it should be reserved to
> friends using it in a quite informal context.
> Am I wrong and do I have to adapt or is there some kind of agreement
> with my POV?

A common usage, especially in a single-word sentence, is "You have
said something unexpected that I disagree with". The tone is neither
hostile nor intimate - it just says "I'm not picking a fight over
this; I just have a friendly disagreement with you".

martin