Ladies, what don't you like to be called by men?

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Originally Posted by Virgil

True, it can be the head of a house of prostitution, but it's predominantly a term for a woman of rank. Plus the etymology is quite noble. The prostitution reference is an outgrowth of cynicism and turning a noble thing on its head. Plus madam is the female compliment to the masculine "sir."

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Yeah, still don't like it. Madam seem so very matronly and stale.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

I can't understand why some of you don't like the term madam. I will call everyone by their proper name unless of course I don't know it. On those occaisions I don't know who I'm talking to, I will use "miss" or "madam." I would think both are respectful terms. I have no intention of slighting people, so if I am please let me know.

As to my wife, I call her by an endearing form of her name or a shortened form of her name. None of the above in the poll.

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miss i dont mind. but with madam americans pronounce it more ma'am and as i've said, "Mam" is what i call my mother.

I don't like Madame or Ma'am. I don't think anyone in my entire life has ever called me Madame. Maybe it's regional. No one has ever called me chick either; this I would hate! I do recall people I knew calling me babe, but it was more in the spirit of fun, nothing really serious. My last boyfriend called me by my name and I guess I did call him honey or darling ocasionally and only at home, if I felt particularly warm towards him, but not too often. Mostly, I called him by his first name.

Would any of the posting ladies like to be called "gal" or "femme"? If I were a lady and had to choose I would go with the latter but.... I am no "femme" :p Besides there is a slang connotation for this word and... you know how slang is... always dirtying words that sound more or less nice.

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Originally Posted by Janine

anyone want to call me princess?....hahaha...queen sounds a little too matronly to me...but 'royalty' in any form would feel nice somedays....LOL

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Okay, here I go: How have you been today, princess Janine? ... :p

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Originally Posted by LMK

That's why I usually request...Duchess...

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As you wish, Duchess LMK ... :)

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Originally Posted by Niamh

miss i dont mind. but with madam americans pronounce it more ma'am and as i've said, "Mam" is what i call my mother.

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Hmm. I guess I use both madam and ma'am.

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Originally Posted by prendrelemick

I think the anglo saxons had "man" for human being, male or female. Female humans became "wife-man" shortened to wiman, then woman. Males were called "weapon-mans." I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

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Originally Posted by Lady Otter

... I'd love the roots of woman, lady, lass, female, etc. Alas(s), I must wait a semester...

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I didn't know this and now I do, so I wanted to share what I found. For example, the words "male" and "female" are not etymologically related (check below). another thing I didn't know is that ladies were originally loaf kneaders.

Etymologies:

WOMAN: Old English wīfmann, from wīf (‘adult female’, Modern English wife) + mann (‘human being’).

MALE: Middle English male, borrowed from Old French masle, malle (Modern French mâle), from Latin masculus (“‘masculine, a male’”), diminutive of mās (“‘male, masculine’”).

FEMALE: From Old French femelle, from Mediaeval Latin femella (“‘a female’”), from Latin femella (“‘a young female, a girl’”), diminutive of femina (“‘a woman’”). The ending was remodelled under the influence of "male", to which "female" is not etymologically related.

LADY: From Middle English lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe, originally literally ‘loaf-kneader’

LASS: From Middle English lasse < Old Norse *lasqa (“‘an unmarried woman’”). Cognate with Scots lassie.

Max, a loaf-kneader!! Where are we supposed to stay, in the kitchen!!!

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Originally Posted by Lynne50

Max, a loaf-kneader!! Where are we supposed to stay, in the kitchen!!!

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Of course not, Lynne. You ladies can stay wherever you want. I was just giving the origin of the word ;). In any case, apparently, the first ladies were loaf kneaders. With the mingling of time ladies acquired other professions and abilities, what's more than good ;), and even men became loaf kneaders, what's good too, though not myself (I'd like to learn however. It would be particularly interesting to knead a loaf for a lady :p)

I'm a bit confused by the questions. Are these terms used in directly addressing women by men? I don't think any man in his right mind would ever address a woman directly by saying, "hi chick, how are you". Chick is a word used to address a third person — she's a hot chick...

So, if a man says to me in greeting, "hi chick", he's dead meat. But if he says to his drinking buddy, eyeing me (with a wink), "she's a hot chick", ha, I LOVE IT

I have no problem with baby, it's endearing. Honey is touch and go, "I miss you honey", is ok, but "can you get me a beer, honey?" is not so ok.

Lady is genteel but a bit formal. "You're a beautiful lady" only works in an early stage of a relationship. "May I kiss you lady?" That script just doesn't work.

Madam? ughh! I hate to be ma'am'd! It has a connotation like "honey" but worse. "Can I help you ma'am?" just sounds ugly. Then if they think they've already done enough for you, they'd say, "yes ma'am" with irony.

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Originally Posted by Janine

I don't like Madame or Ma'am. I don't think anyone in my entire life has ever called me Madame. Maybe it's regional. No one has ever called me chick either; this I would hate! I do recall people I knew calling me babe, but it was more in the spirit of fun, nothing really serious. My last boyfriend called me by my name and I guess I did call him honey or darling occasionally and only at home, if I felt particularly warm towards him, but not too often. Mostly, I called him by his first name.

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Chick is a reference that I THINK came from the Hispanics.

'Chica' is girl!

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Originally Posted by Janine

hahah..how 'bout 'Most Esteemed Duchess'.....:lol:

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ooh, I like that one!

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Originally Posted by Maximilianus

Okay, here I go: How have you been today, princess Janine? ... :p

As you wish, Duchess LMK ... :)

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Now, see how easy that is? It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?...wink...

Thanks for humoring me!

~L

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Originally Posted by LMK

Now, see how easy that is? It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?...wink...

Thanks for humoring me!

~L

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It does roll off the tongue ;) ... you're welcome :)

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Originally Posted by Haunted

I don't think any man in his right mind would ever address a woman directly by saying, "hi chick, how are you".

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Not every man is in his right mind. Some suffer from an overdose of self-esteem. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Haunted

Lady is genteel but a bit formal. "You're a beautiful lady" only works in an early stage of a relationship. "May I kiss you lady?" That script just doesn't work.

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... unless the man who wants to kiss you is a medieval reenactor, in which case you can pretend he's a knight in silver armor, adding a romantic zest to the relationship :)

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Originally Posted by BienvenuJDC

Chick is a reference that I THINK came from the Hispanics.

'Chica' is girl!

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True, "chica" means girl in Spanish, but remember that chick is also a contraction for chicken. It would be good if we could ask the first person who had the idea of using "chick" to address ladies as to which of both meanings was intended :confused:

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Originally Posted by Maximilianus

... unless the man who wants to kiss you is a medieval reenactor, in which case you can pretend he's a knight in silver armor, adding a romantic zest to the relationship :)

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I'll take that from a real knight any day... ;)

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Originally Posted by Haunted

I'll take that from a real knight any day... ;)

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Hmm... who knows... probably a real knight suggested the idea in the first place ;)

It depends on who uses what.
While I actually like being called "babe" or "baby", I DON'T like it when it's from strangers. "Miss" would be both appropriate and acceptable.

And I feel a sense of euphoria when people to whom I am close to call me honey, darling, missy, sweetie pie, loveydude (which I first heard from my sister), etc. Basically any form of endearment is very much welcome IF AND ONLY IF used by people I enjoy being with. Otherwise, I get those as insults.

I especially hate it when men call women "chicks". It somewhat carries a connotation that a woman is meant to be food for men's fantasies, :flare: well at least to me. Even friends won't be spared a cold shoulder or a kick or a punch from me if they use that word to address me.

I am flattered when guys call me "lady". Friends and relatives tell me I'm SO childish and everytime I'm addressed as a "lady", I feel matured :D. (But it's kinda disappointing to learn its origin. HMPH!)

There's this one guy who said to me, "See you around, my fair lady." It was the first time a guy called me a fair lady but HIS fair lady???:rolleyes: I absolutely hate phrases with possessive pronouns like "my girl", "my woman" or whatever "my" phrase coming from a guy. Do men want to be called "my man" by women???

I'd rather be called "girl" than "woman". The latter sounds rigid and too sophisticated. Lassie's cute, too. :)