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?

Same when I was growing up (and also wouldn't use the word gut!) - my mum would have frowned! No real idea why but it's so ingrained now I would only say stomach unless it's used like belly button or gut instinct etc

Tummy is so twee.

My mum considered belly to be vulgar, so much so I thought it was an actual swear word until the time my dad said it. His defence was how else could you describe a sail "bellying in the wind"? And yes, it's in the Bible, but so is piss, so that's no guide.

What "awful connotations" does it have?! I mean, you might not like the way it sounds but the OP makes it sound like it's a slang word for murder or something?!

Me too. Can’t bear the T word, it actually makes me feel nauseous when I hear it.

Not a fan of the B word either, but it doesn’t make me feel nauseous.

I use “stomach” instead.

I hate adults using the word tummy, find it creepy just stick to stomach

Lol as a Northerner also in the South belly has never been anything except a childish word for the stomach to me.

Certainly doesn't have negative connotations in my part of Yorkshire.

Oh I love the word belly. It’s such a soft, gentle, flubbery word. Tells of decadence and over-indulgence and fun.

Tummy is acceptable when said by a child but sounds ridiculous when said by anyone over the age of 11. My nethers would shrivel up if I heard a romantic partner say 'tummy'.

I don’t love the way ‘belly’ is sometimes used, but it’s a useful word in certain contexts and vastly preferable to hearing an adult use a baby-talk word like ‘tummy’.

Londoner here and I have no issues with the word and haven't heard any negative connotations connected with it.

Some people are strange.

Tummy makes me cringe SO hard and is only acceptable said to a very young child

I live in a Victorian townhouse

plenty of plump waistcoated bellies been over the threshold of your home over the decades. have some respect.

Aww what a thought! I wonder how many! Built in 1896... probably quite a few

What's wrong with belly!! I have a big mum belly that was hard to achieve (multiple years of filling it with cake, chocolate etc..) and I'm proud of it :) bring on the bellies I say!

Good god if everyone had the same problem you do we would live in a very happy world.

Like most humans, I'm able to think about more than one issue. Are you?

Reminds me of yoga. Every yoga teacher I’ve ever had uses the word belly.

If you are going to say tummy, you might as well say wum wums. Belly is a good strong word.

I hate the word tummy. It's not something I'd ever use. I also hate poorly and also the word lounge for the living room just sounds odd to me.

Sod your tummies, bellies and stomachs

I was raised in the Midlands and the correct term is 'gut'. Best pronounced with a broad Black Country or Birmingham accent.

It still cracks me up to think when I had my first period and I was moping on the sofa with a hot water bottle, and my very untouchy-feely grandad awkwardly sidling up to me going "Ah, you okay? You got the monthly guts ache?" 😂

My parents are from the east end and we grew up with bellies, couches and serviettes. I had no idea how frightful we were! We also had a front room instead of living room and went to the pictures instead of the cinema. No wonder I got mocked at university for being so common.

I love 'belly'! I hate 'tummy', it's so infantile, especially when used by medical practitioners