Old English refers to the oldest and earliest recorded form of the English language ( source). It also meant to have a pleasing disposition or character. Spelled quite differently than what we see today, the Old English spelling was “ swete,” and simply meant pleasing to the senses, mind, or feelings ( source). The word “sweet” found its origin in Old English and is over 5,000 years old. Words and Meanings: the History and Meaning of Sweet Continue reading to learn more about the history of the word “sweet,” what “sweetie” means, and why we should avoid using it in certain instances. It is important to understand cultural nuances when words have multiple interpretations. Certain words, such as “sweetie,” can have multiple applications and meanings. The adjective “sweet” refers to something sweet-tasting, but it can also be written as a noun - an affectionate term of endearment spelled “sweetie” or “sweety.” The word is most commonly spelled with an “ie” rather than a “y,” though both are considered correct. Unfortunately, there are not always grammatical rules that can easily be memorized and applied. Save them for those folks in our life that we have personal and meaningful relationships with, like our partners, children and way-too cute nieces and nephews.English spellings can quickly become confusing, especially when certain words can be spelled more than one way. So let’s leave terms like “honey” and “kiddo” out of the workplace. If harassment becomes a recurring issue, reach out to your HR team and your manager immediately for further steps.
If you feel you need to speak up in the moment, a great way to calmly respond is “My name is (Jane Doe), not Sweetie. The same illustration goes for huggers at work, but that’s a whole different article. So why do you do that to me?” Make sure to end with a question so they can hear how inappropriate it is in their own words when they try and explain it to you. Simply put together an analogy, “I’ve never seen you walk up to Bob over there and call him Babe. This is personally my favorite and go-to method for illustrating why pet names are not acceptable at work. They are demeaning, condescending and they undermine your authority by treating you like a subordinate. Explain that terms of endearment are not appropriate in the workplace. Some co-workers may genuinely not understand how this kind of language affects others and think that it’s being friendly. Bring a member of the HR team or your manager with you if you are uncomfortable speaking to that individual alone or if it has escalated to an unsafe situation.
If you feel comfortable speaking to that individual one-on-one, address and correct the situation. So what should you do if someone calls you “stud” or “honey” at work? It undermines your professionalism and you as an employee. Terms of endearment are demeaning and, whether intended or not, allude to putting someone in their place. Those types of words make people feel uncomfortable and disrespected. It is sexual harassment, plain and simple, and any such expressions are inappropriate. Terms of “endearment” should not be used in the workplace and here’s why: I personally chose to intervene, at that very moment, with a calm but assertive explanation of why what was said was grossly inappropriate. At that instant, I had two choices: address it right then, or let it go and not speak up for myself. I paused for a second, shocked, and thought to myself, “Did that really just happen?” The fact was that it did. I remember the first time a co-worker called me “sweetie” at work.
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