another terminology thread: "gal"

No worries, JJ. This place is a venting board for many. Just seemed out of character, is all. Hope all is well.

 

to me, gal has always been offensive just because it seems to be used in a condescending way.. as if gals are inherently inferior. Maybe because it comes from an era that had that mind set?

 

See: ladies (archaic)

 

i don't think i've heard a gal reference when it wasnt preceded by "nice."

 

Would you refer to women athletes as chicks? Babes? Sweethearts? Why, then, gals??

At best, it's cheesy. Works for Willard Scott. Doesn't work in print.

 

But silentbob, reading "She's such a nice gal" just includes the understood head pat and tongue cluck. Like "How nice she's trying to play sports like the boys!"

Picture someone you'd describe as a "nice gal" and someone you'd describe as a "smart woman." I'm guessing they're completely different females.

 

aren't the cheerleaders for the cincy bengals called the
"ben-gals?"

a guy's a guy, a gal's a gal. i don't find it offensive, like i said before. just antiquated, dated and corny.

then again, i'm not a gal. i'm a guy.

 

oh, absolutely not. agreed.

i just don't think in this world of truly offensive words that "gal" should even be a contender. corny and dated, yes. would i say it or write it? heck, no.

but if someone referred to me as a "swell fella," i wouldn't take offense. i'd just presume the person referring to me as a "fella" was pretty old.

just like when my dad refers to a woman as a "nice gal" or "pretty gal," it's impossible to take offense. you just gotta laugh.

 

Bottom line is what 21 said: There's just no good reason to use it.

If it's questionable at all -- and there's some debate over whether it is -- just don't use it.

 

all i know is that ijag is a swell gal....

 

See, I'm completely screwed here. I can't be mean to the guy who just got burgled!!!


I HOPE YOUR FLIGHT HOME IS DELAYED AND YOU'RE STUCK INSIDE THAT HELLHOLE OF AN AIRPORT!!!

 

Yeah, well, I flew through Augusta to Charlotte and then home, not Atlanta, so there!