Somebody is looking for someone here and ask me some details, in order for me to grasp who is he talking about I've described some people formerly working in the vicinity. I came to mentioned one lady and I said: "you mean the office where that fat lady is working?". Well you know, I don't have a bad intention when describing someone it's just that the vocabulary I got in used for the moment..."fat lady"... after that one coworker told me that is not the right word to describe the person...oh crap! Did I make a mess again? For being true to my description?
I don't like sugarcoating, though I know how to say some proper words, I don't feel sorry for what I said.
Somebody condemn me please if I'm anti-wrong terminology usage. Darn!
Replies
Risty if you are still out there - there was nothing wrong with using the word fat to describe a person who is in fact fat. Saying it to her would lack tack. Other options would be to say she is heavy or overweight or even obese. None are any less likely to be offensive. Today you may hear someone say she is BIG or a large woman. Again, if you are describing the person to a stranger or the police, any of those are accurate and nothing wrong.
If you are saying it to her or hewr friends, they may take offense but the truth is there are not a lot of options that would not if they are sensitive.
fat lady?
actually i get the word by it's meaning figuratively as a lady with an over weight
i don't know the other meaning except that
Summarizing: Risty, people is suggesting you to make use of the Euphemisms. Why? Well, because people don't really wanna know what you think about them; they don't want to know your real thoughts splashing at their faces!... People just want them not to offend them with the mean truth that they already know anyway. So you better have always ready your fake smile :)
Dear Risty, I didn't want to interfere, but let me say a few words after reading many comments.
Sure, "a fat woman" sounds offensive. Overweighting may be a medical problem, thyroid disfunction or some other. So, describing such a woman we usually say that she is "pleasantly full". Speaking about short people, we say they are "petite". But there is nothing wrong for any woman to be short contrary to being obese.
Welcome to the real world!
Aham....being a skinny and over weighted is not the same. Because, most of the time skinny can put some weight but weight losing is tough...lol. So, to describe someone as fatty sounds not so good in my culture. And, I hear using this word as a negative description specially when we do not like somebody! So, it is better to find another polite description...i,e, '' oh...that lady who has short hair cut/whose eyes are brown/ green?/ who is tall but never say who is short!...). I hope, you get it!
Hello, Mish! Well, that's the ugly truth. I myself isn't perfect and I know I've lots of imperfections physically so I do believe people who have imperfections know that and admitted that to themselves. Just the fact that they know imperfections exist, we other people don't have to keep on mentioning that again and again. I'll agree with this because I myself don't want to ridicule someone from the way she looks like, who would like to feel she's ugly?
But that's not my case here. Thanks!
Mishaikh said:
Calling people by such names is considered ridiculing because they may feel bad if heard. But it has become very common. Fatty, chubby, baldy are very common in use. I don't know how we indicate (Fatty, chubby and or baldy) if we do not know their name of the people. In any way, it is considered uncivilized. I myself is one of the users of such labels.
Hello, Miss Paula!I truly understand what you mean... but my scene is different from your example. I was JUST describing someone to a stranger that was LOOKING for someone, in order for me to guess who he was looking for, I need to describe many people working in our building. I don't know the name of the woman but I know how she looks and what really reminds me of her, is her figure.
whewwwww... But thanks, Miss, maybe there's something wrong, maybe I was been inappropriate. And maybe people got me out of context.
★ღ ˚ Paula✰ •* ˚ said:
Hey, you!! Grrrrr.... Come up with a better excuse. Haha! besides, that's not what I mean...what I meant was if you are describing someone seriously.
MARY said:
Fat to me is such an ugly word. We like our stewing hens fat and juicy or our cattle fat and sassy........but usually, although it is true.......the word fat is so hurtful to those with this malady. They are usually so self conscious concerning their weight. Sometimes it is not due to overeating. Sometimes it is a medical problem. I had a piano teacher that was a beautiful woman. Her face was so lovely. Unfortunately she was very large. Her hormones were a mess. I remember her saying to me, "Paula they put me in the hospital to see if they could reduce my weight as they were very worried in regards to my heart. I am telling you the truth when I tell you they only gave me water and a toothpick as sustenance. I gained two pounds ". She asked me to follow her to the window and she raised her chin to the light. I could see regrowth of what appeared to be a beard under her chin that she shaved every day. I remember the tears in her beautiful green eyes. I felt so sorry for her. Her husband had left her because he felt she was disgusting. So yes please......try to be as diplomatic as possible. We do not know the reason nor the pain behind what we see. Yes they are fat.....and they know it. But I would always try to put it in the best terms possible and I believe "fat" is not the way to do that. Sorry Risty but the one thing is your vocabulary is limited and you used possibly the best you knew how to use. But maybe large, stout, or heavyset would be kinder than fat the next time if this issue is raised again. I hope this helped.
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