What is the difference between a father and a dad?

At what point do we draw that thin line?...

DISCUSS...

JayJai said:

What is the difference between a father and a dad?

At what point do we draw that thin line?...

DISCUSS...

For me I call my father, my father, simply because I do not have that close connection with him and because of that and other things I keep him at arm's length hence father, but it were the exact opposite and we had a very close relationship I would call him my dad.

I have been calling him my father for years, I'd like to call him my dad one day.

I call him "Daddy"...

Because he's always there when I need him (and sometimes when I don't! )...

He's a mechanic, a plumber, a landscaper, and anything else I need him for. He sat by my bed when I had surgery...

When I told him my engagement was broken, he said, "You need me to go kick his ass?" and I believe he meant it.

He also takes my sister (who has MS) to all her doctor's appointments, and sat up with her with she was in pain...

(I'm 42, and my sister is 40)

That's why he's more than just "a Father".... He's my Daddy!

missmad said:

JayJai said:

What is the difference between a father and a dad?

At what point do we draw that thin line?...

DISCUSS...

For me I call my father, my father, simply because I do not have that close connection with him and because of that and other things I keep him at arm's length hence father, but it were the exact opposite and we had a very close relationship I would call him my dad.

I have been calling him my father for years, I'd like to call him my dad one day.

I've never called my dad 'father'. Here (U.K.), that's just for the posh guys. The difference between the two words has nothing to do with closeness. I hardly know my dad anymore - but he's 'dad'

I would call my Dad "father" when I was mad or irratated at him...Otherwise it was Dad... Unless I wanted to get his attention or make him mad then I would call him Chuck... He HATED that!

vivid said:

I've never called my dad 'father'. Here (U.K.), that's just for the posh guys. The difference between the two words has nothing to do with closeness. I hardly know my dad anymore - but he's 'dad'

I used to have a poster that read:

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be called Daddy."

The only time I used the word "father" was when I was referring to my daddy as "my father" to describe relationship. I never used it as a greeting, as in "Hi, Dadddy!"

I dunno... I bought my mother flowers for Father's Day; so I guess I'm not a great person to ask on the subject of male role models.

For me the two words are interchangable. "Father" is certainly the more formal of the two, but doesn't have a different connotation at all.

I understand some people see the two differently. But not me.

Shyra said:

I used to have a poster that read:

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be called Daddy."

The only time I used the word "father" was when I was referring to my daddy as "my father" to describe relationship. I never used it as a greeting, as in "Hi, Dadddy!"

One of my favorite lines from "Grease" is when Frenchy says to Sandy: "The only man a girl can depend on is her Daddy."

[Edited 6/21/10 13:20pm]

chocolate1 said:

Shyra said:

I used to have a poster that read:

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be called Daddy."

The only time I used the word "father" was when I was referring to my daddy as "my father" to describe relationship. I never used it as a greeting, as in "Hi, Dadddy!"

One of my favorite lines from "Grease" is when Frenchy says to Sandy: "The only man a girl can depend on is her Daddy."

[Edited 6/21/10 13:20pm]

So true I had to put it in pink!

I use the terms interchangeably in English. When I'm writing or talking professionally/formally, I say "my father". When I talk casually, I say "my dad".

However, because English is not my mother tongue, I call my dad "Baba", which means "dad/papa" in Arabic.

[Edited 6/22/10 20:23pm]