To think calling 25/26 year olds lady is quite odd

[Fedupwiththis70]

I just feel that woman is more suitable for younger people. Lady I always think of as at least 40. Recently heard someone call a woman at work that lady with the blonde hair not even a young lady just lady. The woman is 25/26. Don’t know if it’s just my views though.

Young lady would be pre 18 maybe pushing it to 20.

Lady just means adult female surely

Or it’s a the wife of a lord.

Given how much stick verging on abuse calling adult females “girls” gets on here I would think lady would be the preferred form of referring to an adult female

Ive heard there are a variety of hobbies around for anyone who finds themselves with too much time on their hands...

Woman = adult human female. Nothing rude about that.

@RegularHumanBartender

Ah I hadn't seen the post that thinks the word woman is rude 😂 How ridiculous!

It shouldn’t be rude but I would feel rude saying “The Woman”.

I remember hearing a little boy saying “That woman said you’ve to wait here”... and it sounded quite rude in honesty and his Mum immediately corrected him to “Lady”.

It shouldn’t be rude but “that woman” “the other woman” “stupid woman” “silly woman”
“nasty woman” etc are all used quite negatively so maybe it’s a (silly) subconscious fear of appearing rude.

Indeed. How terrible to think the word "woman" is rude!

Thanks @proudauntie76 that's what I meant! Honestly, I don't have anything against the word 'woman', but in the context given in the OP it would sound a little rude to me.

E.g in an office or shop scenario, someone describing me to another as "the blonde woman" doesn't sound as polite as "the blonde lady". I don't know why, maybe I've got some subconscious connotation.

I agree it shouldn't be any different as the female equivalent of man. On the other hand, in the same scenario I probably would say "the gentleman over there" rather than just "the man". Context matters.

Oi, I'm 41 and most definitely not a 'lady'

@EyeDrops

It's fine for any adult. It sounds polite and professional. On the other hand I'd find 'woman' (i.e "the woman over there") quite rude and 'young lady' extremely patronising!

Seriously? I am wondering how old you are and if you are an older person (70+). It really is much more acceptable now to refer to a 'woman'. Nothing rude about it. "Lady' harks back to a time when there was very strict expectation of how women behaved. Woman/Man...Lady, Gentleman. Not many people would use gentleman because it is really not standardly used. Nor should 'lady'.

'Lady I always think of as at least 40.' No, I think that is just you, OP!

As pps said, it was considered polite for any adult woman. Mums saying to their kids, 'Give it to the lady', etc. For some reason many of us were brought up to think of it as courteous, and 'woman' as sort of very blunt! Obviously we all need to get over this as there is nothing wrong with the word 'woman', but old habits die hard.

Similarly, parents used to tell their kids to 'give it to the gentleman' rather than 'man', but 'gentleman' seems to have fallen out of use more rapidly, just 'man' is considered fine.

There is probably a feminist issue there, why is it a bit blunt to say 'that woman', but just normal to say 'that man' ?

Would you really use "gentleman", EyeDrops? So you'd say "the gentleman asked us to stand here" referring to a male shop assistant?

Lady became the polite term because it used to signify a class differential.

You're being massively unreasonable. Lady is polite, I always use lady to refer to women of any age.

I was referred to as "that girl" by a five year old a couple of weeks ago. I was thrilled, since I am in my fifties! Her mother told her "you mean that lady".

I use gentleman too, when speaking to my children about a man.

"Old woman" sounds rude to me as opposed to "old lady". I don't know why, it's not really logical.

There is probably a feminist issue there, why is it a bit blunt to say 'that woman', but just normal to say 'that man' ?

I think it’s because with the exception of “The Bad Man”, “The x Woman” has been repeatedly used in really negative, derogatory ways...

“THAT woman” (Camilla Parker Bowles, Hilary Clinton etc etc)

“The OTHER woman”

“Stupid Woman”

“Nasty Woman”

Woman has been villified. Was anyone else brought up to think that “she” was rude?

I’d regularly getting a beating for saying “she left it on the stair” or “she said I could have my sweets now” about my Aunts. “Who’s SHE?! The CAT’s MOTHER?!” - wallop. And I was never using it in a rude way, it’s just that “she” was some sort of a forbidden word. Oddly never got a clip round the ear for “he”...

I'm only early 30s!

@maireas I might, but equally I might just say 'man'.

I've never really given much thought to it. My response was a gut feeling, it's not like I sit and stew on these things. Apologies to anyone who feels offended! I was probably brought up hearing those terms and have internalised it.

I hate lady and I’m 53. Woman is fine and much more neutral.

@Pemba

'Lady I always think of as at least 40.' No, I think that is just you, OP!

As pps said, it was considered polite for any adult woman. Mums saying to their kids, 'Give it to the lady', etc. For some reason many of us were brought up to think of it as courteous, and 'woman' as sort of very blunt! Obviously we all need to get over this as there is nothing wrong with the word 'woman', but old habits die hard.

Similarly, parents used to tell their kids to 'give it to the gentleman' rather than 'man', but 'gentleman' seems to have fallen out of use more rapidly, just 'man' is considered fine.

There is probably a feminist issue there, why is it a bit blunt to say 'that woman', but just normal to say 'that man' ?

I agree with you @Pemba, and the others who have said that “woman” feels rude/blunt. I’m in my forties. I do also agree with everyone who says that it is not logical to few this way!

Maybe we should talk like the police and call other women “females” as in “I observed the female entering the premises at nineteen hundred hours”...

To few= to feel

I hate it too, I'd rather be called 'girl' thanks.

I'd feel very patronised if someone referred to me as "young lady" as a 25 year old pregnant married woman. Teenage and preteen girls are young ladies. I'm a woman or a lady, they're interchangeable, but woman sounds a bit rude, lady is more polite.

"Bye girls"
Was said to me and a friend leaving the gym the other day..(not UK )

Girls???? I am going on 40. Not 4.😂

I prefer lady. Or woman. I guess.. but it is all just so personal

I use mister for men if talking to a child but man when talking to adults. I'll use lad for a particularly immature man though. And young man for teens. Boy for, well, boys.

Adult male = man
Adult female = woman
Easy peasy