pal

   George Borrow, in Lavengro, uses many gypsy words which he explains in a glossary. One of them is ‘pal’, which is glossed as ‘brother, friend, mate’. ‘Pal’ has been generally used in English since the seventeenth century in the latter two senses. It is normally friendly, and used between men.

   Like most terms which appear to express friendship, ‘pal’ can be decidedly aggressive if uttered in a certain way. ‘“Listen, pal,” I snarled,’ writes Garrison Keillor in Happy to be Here.

   The term is used throughout the English-speaking world, and is often used as a substitute for ‘man’ in the ‘old man’ group. In The Sophomore, by Barry Spacks, ‘old pal’ is interchanged with ‘old buddy’ in a friendly conversation between two American men. The diminutive ‘pally’ also occurs. It is used by one man to another in The Late Risers, by Bernard Wolfe.

   The following interesting passage occurs in A Salute to the Great McCarthy, by Barry Oakley, which is set in Australia. A man talking to his son says: ‘When you’re a little bit older, yes, maybe you’ll understand.’ ‘I am a little bit older and I do understand. You’re in no position to point the bone’. He takes a step towards me, his arms hanging loose and heavy with menace. ‘What’s that, pal?’ Pal! That was his man-to-man word. Grown up at last!

   A correspondent, Mr Kel Hunter, comments on the use of ‘pal’ in Glasgow: ‘Its use usually implies disbelief rather than endearment, e.g. “Oh, course ah beleeve yeh, pal - ah’ve got rocks in mah heed.”’ Mr Hunter says that it is also used when announcing one’s intention to punch someone’s head in.