Learn English – What’s the origin and popularity of the word “boss” in the context of referring to the person you’re talking with

etymologyslang

In a video game called "Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines", a character called "Gorgeous Gary Golden", always refers to the player as "boss". Here are some examples from that first dialogue:

"We're having a wrap up party for The Misfits about forty years late.
Cast and crew only, boss."

"How do you know I'm even here, boss?"

"I'm over here, boss! Wait, maybe I'm over here! Or maybe I'm behind
you, with a hatchet in my hand…"

"I don't know, boss. You tell me. After all, I didn't crash your
party."

"You don't say. Wake up, boss! Who do you think you're dealing with?"

"Because I like the sound of my own voice… It's not everyday we get
visitors, boss!"

Not living in a country where English is the native language, this sounded odd to me. The player is just meeting him for the first time, and he doesn't have any relationship with Gary that would justify him being treated as a boss. It's also not a compliment either, since Gary doesn't really care for him.

I'm guessing it's just his way of talking with people. Maybe this expression is popular somewhere, or maybe it's a throwback to an expression that was popular before. I also checked some online dictionaries, but they don't mention anything about this usage of the word boss.

My question is this: Is this an expression related with a certain place and/or time, or do you think this is a only a random quirk of this character and so isn't a reflection of anything historical?

Best Answer

ODO gives a definition

a person in control of a group or situation

which fits the context you give.

There's not much by way of history in ODO though.

OED has

a. An orig. American equivalent of ‘master’ in the sense of employer of labour; applied also to a business manager, or any one who has a right to give orders. In England at first only in workmen's slang, or humorously, = ‘leading man, swell, top-sawyer’; now in general use in Britain.

b. In American politics, a manager or dictator of a party organization.

Use (a) is attested from around 1650.

It strikes me that the usage you quote is a caricature of 1930's New York, where [in such caricatures] gangland bosses are invariably referred to as Boss, and the word is used either in deference or mock deference to others as well. But I'm not sure I could come up with any documentation as to whether that was actually the case or not.

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