The word 'belly'

[eighteentwentytwo]

I'm a southerner in the north and I'm wondering if 'belly' has the same awful connotations that it has where I came from.

My son is using it all the time and I hate it! I would prefer he said 'tummy'. AIBU?

This is news to me. I’m from the midlands but live in the south, never heard of belly being vulgar or rude. I much prefer it to the stupid twee tummy

I don’t think belly has awful connotations at all.

It's not as bad as tummy. That makes me 😬

Belly is an excellent word. Nothing whatsoever wrong with it. It even sounds like what it is. Especially, my case, when euphoniously paired with jelly. I definitely have a jelly-belly.

Abdominal dancing?

Finally I have found someone who agrees. Adults saying ‘poorly’ makes me shudder!

And I'm in and from the South-East.

Northerner here, born and bred 60+years old. Never heard any awful connotations regarding the word belly. Can OP please put us out of our misery and just tell us please!!

Nothing wrong with belly or tummy. I wouldn't use either professionally mind but I don't see either as rude or impolite

I can't stand the word belly, it makes me cringe. However, I accept that's probably because my mum shamed me about my weight/body/food intake from childhood and I can still hear her hissing "pull your jeans up, your belly's hanging out" at me. She has also referred to spanx/shapewear as a "belly buster" for as long as I can remember.

I don't find the word to be particularly crass or impolite, I guess I just associate it with criticism or body shaming.

P.S. As I was typing this, my mum messaged the family group chat to ask if anyone has tried [insert ridiculous fad diet here]. You can't make this shit up 😂

We have Stomach dancing here in the South 😂

My middle class grandfather used to sing a delightful ditty called Pee, Po, Belly, Bum, Drawers. My grandmother hated it.

@Okunevo abdominal dancing
😂

Tummy is very twee I don't like it. I'd say stomach or belly.

Great band though

anyone over the age off 12 using the word tummy is just so wrong!

I say tummy. Or stomach.

I hate the word belly. I hated that Austin powers character who said get in maaaa belly. Wasn't funny at all.

I grew up in the North with a southern family but no idea what it's got to do with it!

I'm a Northerner who has moved to the South.

Belly is common where I grew up for stomach/ tummy. Less common in the South but I haven't heard about any negative connotations of it, it's just not used as much.

YANBU
Belly is awful common slang. The word makes my ears want to bleed.

Never lived north of Croydon and it's belly for me: fat belly, beer belly, bellyache, belly button etc.

"Tummy" is a horrid, twee, mimsy sort of word, and shouldn't be used by anyone over 11 imo.

Stomach and abdomen are fine though, and I'd use those words if I was talking to a doctor.

We say tummy for the dcs and stomach for adults, and wait for it, we are northern! 😂 I haven't noticed people saying belly unless "beer belly" or "belly button." I don't particularly care what somebody wants to call their stomach though, can't say I'd notice.

Sort of agree op. Am from the South and think it sounds, not rude, just on a level with 'gob' and 'fag'.

I agree that ‘tummy’ is much, much worse, in the same, sickly territory as ‘poorly’. Is it a north/south think, or is it about infantilism?

'I hate the word belly. I hated that Austin powers character who said get in maaaa belly. Wasn't funny at all.'

I thought it was hilarious 😂

Same!