baggachipz@sh.itjust.works to Showerthoughts@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 months agoWhy do men call their father their "old man", but their "old lady" is their wife?message-squaremessage-square13fedilinkarrow-up11arrow-down10
arrow-up11arrow-down1message-squareWhy do men call their father their "old man", but their "old lady" is their wife?baggachipz@sh.itjust.works to Showerthoughts@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 months agomessage-square13fedilink
minus-squareAbouBenAdhem@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·2 months agoI think they’re terms men often apply to whichever figure in the household represents the greatest constraint on their freedom. If they’re married, that’s their spouse, but if they’re living with their parents in a male-dominated household, it’s their father.
minus-squarenehal3m@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkarrow-up0·edit-22 months agoFunny, I’ve always thought of them as terms of honour. At least that’s why I called my father old man. He called his captain that back when he was a sailor. edit: I guess it’s a way to acknowledge seniority.
I think they’re terms men often apply to whichever figure in the household represents the greatest constraint on their freedom.
If they’re married, that’s their spouse, but if they’re living with their parents in a male-dominated household, it’s their father.
Funny, I’ve always thought of them as terms of honour. At least that’s why I called my father old man. He called his captain that back when he was a sailor.
edit: I guess it’s a way to acknowledge seniority.