Children referring to "ladies" (lighthearted - I say this wearily, just in case)

[ChampagneTastes]

My 3yr old DS has started pointing at me and saying "you're a LAAADIE" in the manner of Little Britain. Apart from find Little Britain mildly distasteful I don't like it and I have found myself correcting him, telling him that no, I'm a woman. He does not accept this.

My DH says he thinks "lady" is the polite way for a 3 yr old to refer to a female older person.

AIBU to dislike it and want him to say "woman" instead?

Maybe because the word 'gentleman' is too long

Who cares about the term used anyway - what matters is the intention behind the word. If I call someone man or lady I intend equal respect.

The language has just evolved so that these words are the equivalent in certain contexts.

wearily is being used in the correct context so not sure of the raised eyebrow?

Wearily is defined as doing something in a tired way, or without any remaining patience or energy. An example of doing something wearily is taking your dog out for a walk first thing in the morning when you'd rather be sleeping. An example of doing something wearily is finishing a run when you're exhausted.

So no, OP used the wrong word. (BTW it was a wink, not raised eyebrow!)

Oh, language never "just" evolves...

Towels
Don't be ridiculous. She isn't starting the thread wearily, she is having to add a qualifier in brackets to stop it kicking off. And she is doing it wearily because, frankly, it's tedious and one might expect better from grown ups.

I use lady and gentleman, am northern and not at all posh. I asked some students to the let the gentleman past the other day and he commented it was a long time since anyone had called him that but seemed really pleased, was very smiley and it made me feel warm inside. Just be nice and smiley whatever you use!

I was fairly militant about these things in the 70s and 80s but have mellowed and, frankly, don't really care any more as long as the intention is polite. 'Lady' or 'woman' - one or the other usually sounds better depending on the context and I don't even mind 'girls' on some occasions - usually said by one of the 'girls' in a slightly ironic manner.

Really, I think there are more important things to worry about.

Of course there are more important things - I have room for several of the in my pretty little head at once... [grins]

Or, indeed

A lady is a woman who knows how and when to use a doily.

I used to interchange it dds used to just use lady It just seems politer somehow ,

TiggyD Or, one who knows how to play the ukulele - and doesn't.

I have been called aunty a few timesat work from various toddlers its in their culture and its very cute

I didn't mean to imply anything else multivac I've just learned to choose my battles.

I used to get called aunty too when I worked in an inner city school, it was cute. Usually it was children forgetting themselves and calling me 'Mummy' then they started calling me 'Nana' - not sure when that happened!

Now nana i would be offended

Understood gg. I don't get irate over this stuff - but at the same time, it troubles me when people claim it's not at all significant (in the way that some insist they 'aren't affected by advertising').
Language bestows power - and this lady/woman thing is a tiny part of a much bigger picture of entrenched gender inequality.

I do think that "Lady" is the default term when teaching small children, but I've been making an effort to challenge it with mine and say woman instead.

I think the only reason woman sounds rude is because we live in an ageist, patriachal society and there's subconsciously perceived to be something wrong in looking and behaving like the adult woman that you are.

Fuck that.

I used to work in retail and I loved being referred to as the lady, especially at 16. I have no idea why, except it possibly made me feel more grown up or something.

I think lady sounds politer.

I really don't like men being called misters as in 'give x to the mister'. Sets my teeth on edge.

Hey it could be worse, presumably to avoid sounding patronising (etc) I've noticed a trend in men (55+ normally) of referring to women as 'females'.

"There are lots of females driving buses these days" (not 'there are lots of female bus drivers these days' which sounds OK ) or "I told Eric that he shouldn't talk to females that way". Drives me quietly bonkers.

Our nursery talk about the staff as 'ladies' (eg 'mini-fluffy had fun chatting to all the ladies at nursery today') and it sounds fine, softer than if they said staff or women.

It's convenient that all the staff happen to be female, Fluffy. How would the language have to change, I wonder, if your nursery suddenly employed a male carer?

I have a dilemma. I regularly have to address groups of parents/carers usually all women, as part of my job and usually default to "ladies" (or "ladies and gents" if a mixed group). One customer commented recently that she found it odd being called a "lady".

There are often grans, childminders or nannies,so I can't say "mums". Girls is infantilising, and as most of them are younger than me would be patronising too. Guys is too informal and too default masculine.

Any suggestions?

Just to clarify. I only use it when addressing them as a group. Thinking about it I sometime default to "all", as in "Morning all".

What about 'everyone'?

"Thank you for coming, everyone..."

"OK, everyone, that was a great first session..."

"Right, everyone, could I ask you all to..."

Or, if you're feeling mischievous, "comrades".