4 ms·

Because it is very odd framing, to say the least, to refer to someone in a professional context as a "girl."

Msw242 4y ago
I'm 30 and I use "girl" as a female equivalent of "guy." Just sounds informal to me, nbd
stevenhuang 4y ago
I didn't read it that way. Is HN a professional context? In this casual retelling I read it as a neutral noun describing gender. Substitute the equivalent here with 'guy' and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Thinking harder, I guess 'gal' would have been more appropriate. But in any case I feel this reveals more about the reader and their proclivity to engage in 'culture-war topics' than anything substantial.
- kelnos 4y ago
  > Is HN a professional context? I think the parent was referring to "financial agent" being a professional context, not HN.
- techsupporter 4y ago
  > But in any case I feel this reveals more about the reader and their proclivity to engage in 'culture-war topics' than anything substantial. You are, of course, free to assign any motivation to me that you like. However I am on the older side and the only times I ever heard "girl" used were as a pronoun for a younger person or as a diminutive for a person seen as lesser than the speaker. For example, my older family members would refer to "the typing pool girls" or "the makeup counter girl" or, by comparison, "the woman at the county clerk's office." So it is a bit astounding to me, especially now, to hear someone casually refer to someone who is providing a professional service to them as a "girl."
  - stevenhuang 4y ago
    Apologies. Taking the poster's statement in isolation, interpreting it as a younger/diminutive person is a fair reading as well. In this case, the full context is of a casual/informal retelling here on HN so it changes how it should be interpreted (or at least, put in consideration). Plus he was complimenting her; makes the diminutive interpretation less likely. All nitpicks in the end as result of lossy text comms over light, no big deal :)
  - MikePlacid 4y ago
    I am sorry if my choice of words has caused some misunderstanding, but English is my third language, so I am not able to put too many subtle nuances in my messages or to follow the latest language fashion trends. Still, there is a definition in Merriam-Webster’s: “girl (1c): young woman” - I wonder - is it outdated? Upd. Also this: “a person seen as lesser than the speaker” was impossible in the culture I’ve grown up in. So if there is a subtle nuance in my choice of the word “girl” it is “I felt pleasure each time I heard her voice”, not “she was lesser than me”. Cultural differences…

I'm 30 and I use "girl" as a female equivalent of "guy." Just sounds informal to me, nbd

I didn't read it that way. Is HN a professional context? In this casual retelling I read it as a neutral noun describing gender. Substitute the equivalent here with 'guy' and we wouldn't be having this discussion. Thinking harder, I guess 'gal' would have been more appropriate. But in any case I feel this reveals more about the reader and their proclivity to engage in 'culture-war topics' than anything substantial.

kelnos 4y ago
> Is HN a professional context? I think the parent was referring to "financial agent" being a professional context, not HN.
techsupporter 4y ago
> But in any case I feel this reveals more about the reader and their proclivity to engage in 'culture-war topics' than anything substantial. You are, of course, free to assign any motivation to me that you like. However I am on the older side and the only times I ever heard "girl" used were as a pronoun for a younger person or as a diminutive for a person seen as lesser than the speaker. For example, my older family members would refer to "the typing pool girls" or "the makeup counter girl" or, by comparison, "the woman at the county clerk's office." So it is a bit astounding to me, especially now, to hear someone casually refer to someone who is providing a professional service to them as a "girl."
- stevenhuang 4y ago
  Apologies. Taking the poster's statement in isolation, interpreting it as a younger/diminutive person is a fair reading as well. In this case, the full context is of a casual/informal retelling here on HN so it changes how it should be interpreted (or at least, put in consideration). Plus he was complimenting her; makes the diminutive interpretation less likely. All nitpicks in the end as result of lossy text comms over light, no big deal :)
- MikePlacid 4y ago
  I am sorry if my choice of words has caused some misunderstanding, but English is my third language, so I am not able to put too many subtle nuances in my messages or to follow the latest language fashion trends. Still, there is a definition in Merriam-Webster’s: “girl (1c): young woman” - I wonder - is it outdated? Upd. Also this: “a person seen as lesser than the speaker” was impossible in the culture I’ve grown up in. So if there is a subtle nuance in my choice of the word “girl” it is “I felt pleasure each time I heard her voice”, not “she was lesser than me”. Cultural differences…