You don't understand language as well as you think. The 'wife' in 'old wive's tales' doesn't refer to 'ladies who are married' at all. Your view that /either/

You don't understand language as well as you think. The 'wife' in 'old wive's tales' doesn't refer to 'ladies who are married' at all. Your view that /either/ of the terms is purely pejorative exists only in your head.