Talk:Lady

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Question: is the term 'lady' used colloquially in different ways in the US, the UK, etc?

In the US, "lady" can be used interchangeably with "woman" in a strictly informal way.

I'm not sure if this holds true outside the US.

The term "Lady" is one of social status, and I strongly disagree with the use of it as a generic for any female. Used as such it is a euphemism and an unpleasant one at that! Does anyone object if I delete the assertion at the top of the article: ""Lady" can be used as a title, or as a (formal) form of address for any woman."? The subsection "More recent usage: social class" just about says it all.
Nick Michael 21:39, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] kenny rogers

Sorry. But I think the song should be a separate entry. 70.177.68.209 00:13, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Gibson girls ladies?

I propose deleting the Gibson girl image from this article, as being a misleading "image" of a "Lady". Gibson girls were not (necessarily) ladies: they were the equivalent of today's fashion models, or high-society girls. I mean, would you call Paris Hilton a lady?

The trouble is, I believe, that British and American usages differ so much regarding this word that they probably need two different articles: Lady (USA) and Lady (Britain). I suppose that's more than we can hope for though.

For me (Brit), a lady is not necessarily beautiful, nor (like her male counterpart, who does not necessarily open doors for women), can she be defined by someone who uses a butter knife even when she is alone (this definition is a joke of Nancy Mitford's - who was most certainly a lady).

Taking it back to its roots, a Lady is a woman "of family". This makes (in my experience) for redoubtable females of personality (not necessarily pleasant), and, as far as the country version is concerned, often with the complexion of a deep-sea fisherman (Nancy Mitford again). P. G. Wodehouse knew what a lady was, and aunts Agatha and Dahlia are the best references I can think of for the animal in question.

If no one replies or comments on this, I think the rules allow me to act in a few days, whereupon I shall remove the inaccurate image - and meanwhile look for one more appropriate.

Nick Michael 06:43, 26 February 2007 (UTC)