generic terms of address for children

[dustthouart]

In English, if you need to address a child that you don't know the name of, most commonly you use some kind of mild endearment ("buddy" and "sweetie" seeming to be the main choices that I hear; "kid" is a little less polite, but not necessarily nasty). There isn't any real standard term, though, and if you're addressing a group of children, there's

Comments

[shorofsky]

In Danish we tend to use "ven" (friend) for babies who are not known by name. Sometimes we call them "lille mus" (little mouse) which is a term of endearment that is used about children and pets together. "ven" is also used for toddlers and children. I'm not sure there's a consensus on what to call teens.

[ami_ven]

You did mention English, but I thought I'd add a few more. "Boys and girls" is pretty common, especially in classroom settings ("Settle down, boys and girls."). And I've also heard various things that could sound mean on their own, but are said in an affectionate way ("All right, hooligans, time to clean up" or "Hey, little monsters, keep the noise down.") That's usually used with a group of kids you're at least familiar with/to, though.

For individual kids, I'll usually say "kiddo" (for either gender) or "sweetie" (girls or smaller boys- the bigger ones don't like it).

[muckefuck]

I'm in my fifth decade now and my mom still calls me "kiddo".

"Kids" is also common enough as a form of address to a group of close adult friends, e.g. "Okay, kids, where are we going next?" You would never use "children" in this way (except in jest), although you would use "boys and girls" (though not as frequently as you'd use "boys" or "girls" on its own).

[sayga]

Agreed on the use of kiddo. It's nicer than saying, "Hey, kid! Watch out." That is always my first choice of terms to speak to a child (under 8 years old, probably) that I didn't know. If I am speaking to a child I don't know who is upset (lost, hurt, etc), I will use sweetie or darling.

[butterpixie]

In Taiwan，I also hear 小帥哥 to denote around toddler or kindergarten age boys. This is mostly said by grandma aged women.

[sidheag]

I wouldn't use any such term for an individual child that I didn't know (the idea of addressing a child I didn't know as "buddy" or "sweetie" makes my skin crawl - seems creepy). For a group of children, I would avoid using such a term if I could, but might fall back on "children" if, say, I needed to get the attention of a whole group of them. If I knew a descriptor of the group ("Class 3", "School X Rugby team") I'd use that.

You do hear "sweetie", "dear", "pal", but I think from the same people who'd call an unknown adult "mate" or "luv" or whatever, which similarly I wouldn't do. (I use "Sir" or "Madam" if I absolutely have to.)

(Native British English speaker)

[dorsetgirl]

I use "Sir" or "Madam" if I absolutely have to.

Oh yes, I hate those too. Used to be only the police used it in a polite sense, which was fair enough, but nowadays any underpaid teenager trying to flog me something on the phone uses "Madam". Presumably their bosses are also a lot younger than me and don't realise how incredibly old-fashioned - at best - it sounds.

[browncoatrebel]

In the US, particularly in the Deep South, "sir" and "ma'am" are considered polite, and you're expected to use them when speaking to anyone older or higher up in the chain of command than you are (e.g., bosses, even if younger than you).

[nakedneurosis]

this is what i was thinking. i was raised to say sir and m'am to any adult, including my mom and dad. i say it probably 3892093091 times a day at my job.

[cattiechaos]

If I absolutely had to get a random kid's attention, I'd probably use "Hey kiddo!". In Hawaii you might hear "keiki" (child).

[houseboatonstyx]

Yes, in some sort of emergency, if I didn't know his name I'd call "Hey, kid!"