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I have a good friend who has an infant son. She always refers to him as "my man" or "little man."
We have been Skyping and the baby is growing. Hes a cutie. Today I said "oh how is that adorable little boy of yours doing?" And she corrected me saying "you mean my little man? Hes asleep. Doing well. "
I have never heard a female child called "my woman " or "my little woman. " I just feel weird referring to a male infant as a "man". English is not my first language so part of it stems from just not thinking that I'm using that term correctly. We have a preschool age son ourselves.
Is this common or something new in American slang? Do you refer to young male children this way?
I have a good friend who has an infant son. She always refers to him as "my man" or "little man."
We have been Skyping and the baby is growing. Hes a cutie. Today I said "oh how is that adorable little boy of yours doing?" And she corrected me saying "you mean my little man? Hes asleep. Doing well. "
I have never heard a female child called "my woman " or "my little woman. " I just feel weird referring to a male infant as a "man". English is not my first language so part of it stems from just not thinking that I'm using that term correctly. We have a preschool age son ourselves.
Is this common or something new in American slang? Do you refer to young male children this way?
It's not at all unusual to refer to little boys as Little man. I used to do it with my sons. (Heck, sometimes I refer to my dog as "the old man".)
I HAVE heard baby girls referred to as "Little lady", although never "Little women" But that might be because (my theory) there is a well known and well revered American book called "Little women". Probably most Americans are familiar with the book...surely we all read it at some point in our lives...so it might just seem a little too weird to refer to our little girls by a book title. Just a guess.
It DOES seem a little odd though, that your friend corrected you like that. lol
It's not at all unusual to refer to little boys as Little man. I used to do it with my sons. (Heck, sometimes I refer to my dog as "the old man".)
I HAVE heard baby girls referred to as "Little lady", although never "Little women" But that might be because (my theory) there is a well known and well revered American book called "Little women". Probably most Americans are familiar with the book...surely we all read it at some point in our lives...so it might just seem a little too weird to refer to our little girls by a book title. Just a guess.
It DOES seem a little odd though, that your friend corrected you like that. lol
I have heard "little lady" but I associate that with being talked down to. I don't know that I have heard it as a term of endearment for a young child. But maybe I just don't run in the right circles.
Come to think of it, this friend has never referred to our son as "little man." Not that i can remember at least. She always calls him by his name or something like "sweetheart " or "little one."
(snip)
Is this common or something new in American slang? Do you refer to young male children this way?
My late uncle was born in 1918 and a relative said "What a handsome little man. Handsome Little Manny!" when he was born. The nickname stuck and every one called him Manny instead of his real name (Arnold) until he died in his mid 80s.
I have heard it used many times as a term of endearment.
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