As much as I hate the word "kiddos" (mostly because even at 20+ years old my dentist insists on calling me "kiddo" every time he sees me... ick), I have caught myself saying it now and then to refer to my students. It somehow became the plural of "kid," on par with "y'all." But I wouldn't be heartbroken if I never heard/used the word again.
Can I request that the same be said for the following words: literally, like, racist/racism, and sexist/sexism?
As long as others use basically and moist, I’ll continue using kiddo. I’m willing to make a deal though.
I don't personally use the word myself either, but if we each started a thread on each word that irked each of us, we'd be reading these kinds of threads into 2025.
I just saw this and feel it's directed at me. I... I don't know if I can. I'd have to replace it with "littles".
I cannot make that verbal / written deletion. My first principal would use that word as an alternative to constantly saying "students", and it stuck.
New kiddos coming in here demanding words not be used is basically bugging me today. Makes my forehead moist with sweat. Peace out, kiddos!
What about "kinder"?? What's up with that? It's kin-der-gar-ten. And not kinney garten. And library, not libarry. Specific - not pacific. I pacifically hate it when people say that! Seriously, we are educators. Adults and children look up to us. Proper pronunciation is essential for our future. I cringe when attending a meeting, and hear the slaughter of the English language. If it's a casual setting, that's a whole other - sorry - another story . See, it sticks. Generally speaking, I find any pet name that doesn't come from a close friend, relative or loved one rather demeaning. I don't have antlers, so don't call me 'dear/deer'. I had a nurse who threw out these terms left and right. One visit just happened to be my birthday. I said, "Do you see this?" She said, "What, your birth date? Oh Happy Birthday." I said, "Yes, I am way past 7 years of age, so please stop calling me those endearing terms.
Everyone around my area calls it kinder. Not sure when it got shortened, but it did. I don't see what the big deal is.
Eh. I'm content with the knowledge that no matter how hard I try, how sincere my efforts, I will offend someone. Somewhere. Somehow. Possibly right now as I type. In the immortal words of Pete the Cat: "It's all good".
I find that the people using the pet names like dear and hon are just trying to be extra caring. That certainly doesn't bother me a bit.
Overall, I think we realize there’s different phrases and terms that local people (folks) are accustomed to using. Even if it is irritating to some of us. There is a difference in using slang, pet names, and minimizing individuals. It’s all about respect. If your name was Callahan and I called you Mrs. C. or Ms. Callie (and you told me, please don’t call me that) then I need to respect you. I have found some children, teachers and parents would not respond to my ‘teacher voice’. So I became a bit more natural, and they started to accept me. So when you’re in Rome....
What really irritates me is when people say things like, “I’ll see you on TuesDEE,” to which I respond, “If you want to meet on TuesDAY, that’s fine. Let’s plan for meeting on TuesDAY, okay?”
I live in an area where “wash” is pronounced with an r in the middle, and “you’ns” is a common second-person plural pronoun, just to name a couple examples of “improper” grammar that is actually the norm for the area. There is no way I am going to “correct” a principal, a parent, or my grandma-in-law just because their language norms are different than what Merriam-Webster says. Doing so would come off as pretentious and rude.
Could you elaborate on the meaning of the second “word” you said? Does it mean “youngin’?” I’ve never heard people use this “word” before and I hope to never have to hear it in person. To me, that’s right up there with “tooken.”
I don’t mind the use of slang so long as it is not used for anything and everything. I know someone who uses his own made-up words for just about everything and essentially no one understands what he’s talking about. For example, he calls a park a “sandbox” and restaurants “chow downs.” It’s very frustrating trying to carry out a conversation with this person because he REFUSES to speak normally. He is actually a very nice person, but it has gotten to the point that I and several others who know him avoid talking with him because he just doesn’t make any sense. That is the crux of my argument. We should avoid personally modifying the English language so much that there is a breakdown in communication. In fact, that is why we have standardized systems of measurement like the SI and metric systems (thank the French for the latter) because the system of using the tribal leader’s body measurements was useless to most people, confusing, and highly inaccurate to anyone who wasn’t in that group. Anyway, I’m not saying that everything someone says needs to be profound, just that it is coherent.
OMG I am Lisa Simpson. I’ll let an elder say feets or foots, but while I am in school, I is not gonna lets you talk that way.
