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Native English expressions to address women
Aug 16, 2009 03:34
guestLeelei Hello, I am learning Enlish language and culture. How many idiomatic expressions do you have to address women? I collected the following list, but I am not sure which one is appropriate to use on which specified occasions. I can’t figure out why you call women one’s ball and chain, clinging vine, a plaine Jane, or Jail bait. Thanks in advance for your help!
1. old hen
2.spring chicken
3、the little woman
4. one's ball and chain
5. one's old lady
6.Doll
7、skirt
8、clinging vine
9、a plain Jane
10、jail bait
Aug 17, 2009 12:06
#1  
  • SETH
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GUESTLEELEI - if I honestly told you the truth about those hideous idiomatic expressions, your brain would ooze out your ears and your eyes would melt. My advice: learn a useful language such as Hindi or Swahili, and leave American English to those best equipt to handle it!
Aug 18, 2009 14:11
#2  
  • SHESGOTTOBE
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Jesus! Where and who taught you these to address women? Dump that person or burn that book!

To address women in English, you use:
Miss (for single women)
Mrs. (for married women)
Madam (used mostly for older women)
Lady
Young lady
Aug 18, 2009 22:56
#3  
  • GARYKINKADE
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Been reading too many fiction pulp novels and (or) watching too much reality t.v.
This is both a question and a statement.
Aug 19, 2009 04:59
#4  
  • DODGER
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I think you all may be being a little harsh on this bloke.
Spoken English in some parts of the UK is almost entirely made up of idioms and slang.
So if you do not have a basic understanding you may well understand the words but not what the speaker is actually meaning to say.
I try not to use idioms in China unless I am speaking to a native speaker because of this very same point.
Perhaps its time for an idiom thread?
Dodger.

Aug 19, 2009 22:48
#5  
  • LEONARDO
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GUESTLEELEI, Honestly, most of the expressions are derogatory terms. To be safe, don't use them to address women. No woman would like you to call her "old hen, one's bail and chain, clinging vine, a plain Jane or jail bait". I know when it comes to learn a new language, the dirty words seem to come to our ears and mouths first, the learning sources are pop novels, soap operas and vulgar films.
Aug 25, 2009 04:57
#6  
GUEST04154 You are likely to get punched on faces provided that you call them one's ball and chain.
Aug 26, 2009 21:28
#7  
  • ICEBLUE
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These expressions are the products of sexism. These words should be eradicated as early as possible.
Aug 31, 2009 09:29
#8  
  • YANGOLA
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Passing by!
i know there hundreds way to address a woman you like. LOL
darling
hot babe
sweetheart
honey
princess
queen
pretty little thing
my beer
my flower
my star
my air
sister
little mice
baby's mom ~ ~ ~
Mar 28, 2011 18:37
#9  
GUEST17820 that's absolutely right, those words are very nonsense and commonly used by people who are out of thier mind.
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