student asking question

Is it common to call a person “shorty”?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Calling a person "shorty" is very informal and can be rude, depending on who you are talking to. If you call a stranger "shorty", they would probably be offended and consider it very rude, however, if you call your close friend "shorty" they may take it as a joke. Generally, I would advise that you avoid calling someone "shorty" unless you are close with the person and they know that you are just joking. Ex: You need help reaching that? Okay, shorty!

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