"Little girl'' ''children'' Does this annoy anyone else?

[itssmiletime]

Apologises if this had been discussed before.

In the episode "Checkpoint'' one of the Watchers Council refers to the Scooby gang as ''children', and in ''Empty Places'' Buffy refers to the potentials as ''children'' also. Throughout all seven seasons- terms used such as ''little girl'' ''children'' to people aged 14+ (and in some cases, over 18). This has always kind of made me feel awkward, and I always wince whenever a character calls someone that. I think it's really weird to call Dawn or Willow a little girl.

So... thoughts on this?

 

[Washburne]

"Children" as such I don't have much problem with even if it depends on the context. Although I doubt there's any teenager that would like to be called that. No matter of context. "Little girl" feels more condescending in my eyes. Either used on purpose to try and put others down (I'm superior, don't come here and think that you are/know better than me.) or used unconsciously but kind of showing the same thing.

 

[patriot1123]

The only time I can think of "little girl" is from the father in Famiily, and he definitely meant it as something derogatory.

I think a person's perspective on "children" depends on their age and perhaps on whether or not they have children (young or adult). I wasn't bothered by the watcher's council describing Anya, Xander and Willow as children (she didn't know Anya's actual age), because in a way, to me, at my age, and given that they were then the age my son is now, they do seem like children. And I don't mean that in a derogatory way - I mean it in a protective way, just as the Watcher's council woman probably did.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Well, I don't necessarily think those terms were always meant to be used in a derogatory manor. Sometimes I call people that are younger than me "kids" or whatever, 'cause that's how they feel to me; like they're still just kids. Especially when there's a big age gap between you and the person you're referring to, it can be easy to view them as a child, when they are definitely not a child.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

Yeah I don't think it's always derogatory.
My friends older sister always refers to us as the kids, even though we are now 25!

 

[Washburne]

This is just how I feel about children vs. kids. Maybe I'm the only one and I'm not saying that what I think is right. Just personal feelings. Besides, my english usually struggle (to a degree) so who am I to say anything. But. To me it feels like children are refered to young children (not teens) while kids can easily be used up to the age 17 or older but olso for the real young ones. Especially if you're talking about your own ones. To me it would feel natural to ask a group of teenagers "What are you kids up to?" while "What are you children up to/doing?" feel totally out of place.