224996

(2013) Varieties of tone, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

"Woman" and "lady" and "vous' and "tu"

Richard D. Kortum

pp. 72-74

Dummett's pair "woman" and "lady" also presents a more complex picture than the notion of style seems capable of handling. On the one hand, one can view "lady" in certain contexts merely as a polite synonym for "woman". Yet, it is precisely a difference in 'sense" that inclines one to think of "lady" as a mere stylistic variant of "woman". Both are comparable with reference to adult female persons. However, as compared with "woman" — correlative with "man" — which emphasizes the essential properties of the adult female person, "lady" — correlative with "gentleman" — connotes the additional qualities inherent in gentle breeding, a gracious nature, and a cultivated background. This makes for a preference when such things as exalted social position or refinement are involved, to the extent that an actual contrast may be invoked — cf. "She may be a woman, but she's no lady".

Publikationsangaben

DOI: 10.1057/9781137263544_13

Quellenangabe:

Kortum, R. D. (2013). "Woman" and "lady" and "vous' and "tu", in Varieties of tone, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 72-74.

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