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OT poll: male is to "guy" as female is to...


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[b]girl, lady, woman.[/b] i get stuck on this every once in awhile. the other day i was in a shop and mentioned something to one employee that another female worker there told me, and i said "the girl at the counter". they were both about 20, and i don't think they were offended. but what's the rule on this? of course under 15 is a girl and over 60 is not- i think the age group in question is [b]18-35[/b]. imagine this (if you're a guy): your girlfriend (or an 18-35 yr old female you know) is trying to get your attention from across the street. a passerby helps, telling you [b]a:[/b] "i think that girl is waving at you." [b]b:[/b] "i think that lady is waving at you." [b]c:[/b] "i think that woman is waving at you." which is the least offensive to your girlfriend? i've known some...er... females... that would be more offended by "woman" or "lady" than "girl", but i've also heard... "I am [i]not[/i] a 'girl'!!"
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Hear, hear, Steve LeBlanc! I've found that "gal" doesn't create the same offense as "girl." Guys n gals, y'know? It's also not uncommon to use "guy" in a gender neutral sense. I've said "Hey guys, what's up?" to groups of female friends and it seemed perfectly normal to them.

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[quote]Originally posted by SteveFortner: [b]I've found that "gal" doesn't create the same offense as "girl." Guys n gals, y'know? [/b][/quote]Hi Steve ! Yeap. I guess "GAL" is perfect if the purpose of it is to name a female for "guy". At less, I learned that as a part of my "English Survival Guide" :D

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err, tip toeing in.... I'm not that fussed really, when talking to or about other chicks, I'll use whatever fits the situation, and also use "hey guys" when addressing a group of female friends, the one I don't like is "slapper".... and personally I don't like refering to someone as "she" without using her name first as in "we were at Vanessa's and she...." is fine, but "she" this and "she" that is a bit disrespectful, as "she" is the cat's mother.... peace, natty [img]http://www.theunholytrinity.org/cracks_smileys/contrib/fk/butterfly.gif[/img]
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I recently have been pondering this very question. I work in an office full of older women (I am 20) When I walk in I gotta say hi to all of them somehow. I have been using gender neutral "guys" for some time, but have been itching to change it. To a group of my female friends I would use guy but to a group of older ladies I'm not so sure. Dave
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hey, a follow up... the incident that inspired this poll was at a video store, and i was just loooking at the receipt. it turns out the female in question is named... Pixie! she's definitely a girl. i went back today, but she wasn't working. :o :love: :p
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I just can't say Gal. It just won't come out of my mouth. Personally, if a female is that fucking fussy about how they are refered to, i don't want anything to do with'um anyway. I always say.."political correctness is for people who are unsure of their sexuality". I like "babes and hotties". What women wouldn't want to be called either, i don't know any.
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[quote]Originally posted by Tedster: [b]Actually D, you use rather cunning lingo. If you were an Italian chef, you'd probably cook quite a cunning linguini. Sorry...been watching too many James Bond movies.[/b][/quote]There goes Tedster, getting a few licks in... :eek:
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[quote]Originally posted by franknputer: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Tedster: [b]Actually D, you use rather cunning lingo. If you were an Italian chef, you'd probably cook quite a cunning linguini. Sorry...been watching too many James Bond movies.[/b][/quote]There goes Tedster, getting a few licks in... :eek: [/b][/quote]Isn't that what playing guitar is all about? Licks?
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It's fun to see some of you guys perplexed about this issue. Some women will be offended no matter what you call them, so don't worry about it. My band is in their various 20s, but we often refer to it as a mostly chick band or all-girl band. Or as "the lovely ladies of Edith Grove." When referring to non-teenage females that I don't know, I usually use "woman" or "lady." As in, "Excuse me, sir, I think that lady across the street to waving to you." If it's a group of women you're not on very social terms with, like fellow employees, "Hello everyone" (or "Good morning, ya'll" if you're from the south) usually works well. Just my female two cents, Amanda
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[quote][b]If it's a group of women you're not on very social terms with, like fellow employees, "Hello everyone"... usually works well.[/b][/quote]Hi, everybody! [img]http://www.synergizedsolutions.com/simpsons/pictures/others/drnick.gif[/img] some good responses here, it'd be nice to hear from some more ladies. :) and you guys managed to wait a bit before starting the sex jokes (except helljams said "fucking fussy"). nice job!
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Interesting discussion. First of all, "gal" is indeed the female equivalent of "guy," but for better or for worse, the word "gal" is antiquated. It went out with the Big Band and the gray felt fedora. Only men over fifty-five can say "gal" and not sound pretentious. Which leaves us with girl, woman, lady, "young lady," and chick. In the proposed situation - notifying you that your girlfriend is across the street, etc. - the word that will be used to describe her depends on the speaker. If the speaker is a young man (under 25), and your girlfriend is younger than he is, he'll say "girl" or "chick." If she is significantly older, he'll say "lady." If the speaker is a young woman (under 25), she'll probably refer to your girlfriend as a "girl." Again, if your girlfriend is much older than the speaker, she'll say "lady." Young people would not be likely to use "woman" in this context. If the speaker is female, age 25 to 50, she'll probably say "woman." Women over fifty will probably say "lady" or "young lady." Men 25 to 50 will say "girl." Men over fifty will say "young lady" or "gal". It's interesting that "young man" and "young lady" are commonly used, but "young gentleman" is rare and "young woman" is NEVER said. Keep in mind that my suggestions are for North American English. People in the UK and Ireland use the term "lady" in a very different context (signifying a position in the class heirarchy).

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[quote]Originally posted by Arnold Schwarzenegger: [b]Isn't that what playing guitar is all about? Licks?[/b][/quote][img]http://www.intermixx.net/webdev/paulrobinson/images/robinson_paul_lick.jpg[/img] Just like playing Bass is all about da Big Bottom! :freak:
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Male is to "guy" as female is to "gal." There is no other answer, unless one is taking it upon oneself to reinvent the English language. Sure "gal" now is antiquated whereas "guy" is still popular; but it remains the only equivalent. Other choices such as "girl, lady, and woman" are indicate the age of the person being referred to, while "guy" and "gal" do not.

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[quote]Originally posted by soapbox: [b]BTW, "fellas" went out of style when "gals" did, but it came back into vogue in the eighties. "Gals" should come back, if for no other reason than that there is no substitute.[/b][/quote]Fellas (fellows) is a great word. I use it all the time. It's very non-confrontational. You see a bunch of young tough guys on the subway at 11 pm and say, "Excuse me," they look at you like they're trying to figure out which way you'd like to have your ass kicked today. But if you say, "Excuse me, fellas," they snap back to Happy Days and act like friends of Richie Cunningham. A brilliant word for survival in a tense world. See also: buddy. Or, for an older dude: chief.

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[quote]Originally posted by Dan South: [b]Fellas (fellows) is a great word. I use it all the time. It's very non-confrontational. You see a bunch of young tough guys on the subway at 11 pm and say, "Excuse me," they look at you like they're trying to figure out which way you'd like to have your ass kicked today. But if you say, "Excuse me, fellas," they snap back to Happy Days and act like friends of Richie Cunningham. A brilliant word for survival in a tense world. See also: buddy. Or, for an older dude: chief.[/b][/quote]A friend and I were at a resaurant a couple years back and our waiter asked, "How are you fellas?". My friend thought he said, "How are you FUCKERS?" and it was nearly a fist-fight before I could cool the situation. That same friend is now an Army Airborne. BTW, where I live fellas is also often associated with homosexuals. Back to the topic, I usually use person or lady or girl if they're teens. My wife hates to be called woman - says it's degrading. Of course, women is fine.
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well, speaking as a 27 year old female, firstly i would have to disagree with coolhouse although im sure he would expect this anyway. i am most comfortable being called a woman, after all im certainly not a child anymore but i dont think im a lady either, if you catch my drift lol. to me a lady is some posh old rich woman who sits around drinking cups of tea all day. lol. beren.
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