The Line Between Disrespect and Respect « Little Girl In A Reverie
 

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Monday, May 30, 2005


The Line Between Disrespect and Respect

At 18, you're practically an adult yet you're still a child is so many ways. Being a typical Asian we have to be "respectful" of our elders.

It's always a task to me when my parents introduce a younger colleague to me. What do I say? Can I call her Aunty? Or am I being too fresh if I call her by her name?

There has been so many boo-boos in the past whereby my Dad will embarassingly correct me and say, "Not Aunty, Cheh Cheh la!!"

*sputter*. I've got boobs bigger than your lady colleague, and you want me to call her cheh cheh?

Firstly, how difficult would it be for ANYONE to call ANYONE who's a mere acquaintance by such an intimate title? I'm even getting wary about calling my cousins cheh cheh but I still do it because in the ranks of the family, that's how it is. Sometimes my dad will introduce the odd hot younger male colleague and ask me to call him, "Kor Kor".... I always feel like digging a hole and scurrying away.

At least Aunty is more universal. But these days, I'm getting older, and people whom my parents work with have the possibility of being younger than the ones they used to work with, so not everybody can be an Aunty or an Uncle.

Women are getting more and more sensitive with the "aunty" title. I'm sure there are girls out there who has gotten the odd "aunty" greeting or two when they're only barely out of their teens. I dread the day it happens to me. So I don't blame women(or even men) to feel sensitive about being called an Aunty or an Uncle too early in life. My only concern is to be tactful about it.

What about women who still consider that they are not yet an Aunty at 30?
I would happily call her by her name if she wants me to but it's not like you can remember every name your parents throw at you.

Whereelse, if I meet people who are many many years my senior outside my parents' circle of friends, I'd call them by their first name regardless of age. Because I feel that it is one of the ways that we can form a stronger bond of friendship. By calling the person "aunty" or "uncle" is like you're kicking the person back to his or her own era.

The only people I can truly feel comfortable calling Aunty or Uncle are my friends' parents because if they have kids who are as old as me, they are definitely as old as my parents hence the greenlight.

Just last Saturday, I went down to Damansara for one of my Dad's ex-colleague's house warming.

In the car, Dad did the usual title preach...

Dad: Ok ar..later you go there, you call that one cheh cheh or you can call her by her name.
Me: HAH? But she's older than you wor?
Dad: Yala! But she don't want to be called Cheh-cheh, what to do?
Me: Too bad, but she's older than you so I'll call her Aunty. Please lah, if I call her by her name it'll be really disrespectful.
Mum: YALA.. call Aunty what. I cannot call her Aunty laa...
Dad: I will die if you do, ok?
Me: Ya, we will leave you there, don't bring you home!

It was a small gathering with his ex-secretary who has a 20+ year old daughter, two other younger female colleagues, a male colleague and their spouses. The youngest female colleague there is about 29 and she's married and I had no qualms about calling her by her name because I felt that she was abit too close to my age to be called an Aunty. Then there was the other female colleague(the host) who is also married who has two kids, she looks like she's about 33/34.. and I called her Aunty because, well, she's my dad's friend and she has kids!

But I don't know if I am being sensitive or not but when I called her(the host) "Aunty" she didn't give the usual big warm smile. Hm. So now I'm really confused.

There ought to be a checklist for a woman to tick-off before they can truly accept the "Aunty" title.

1. Above 40 years of age.
2. Married with kids. At least with kids they are accustomed and familiar to the "Aunty" greeting.
3. The ability to accept the fine lines around the eyes and lips. Accepting the "Aunty" greeting will only come naturally with it.

Then you have the Lou Koo Pors @ spinsters. Can we call them "Aunty?" I don't want to be the one to set them crying into their pillows at night by helping them to affirm their age and status as perceived by society.

So that's why sometimes I'd try to twist the conversations in such a way so that I don't have to address them at all. The lines are all too blur.

Jayelle's back and neck ached at 5:32:51 pm
 

Jayelle
June 3, 2005   12:33 AM PDT
 
eileen: hehehe..hello is the best choice eh?

meldee: lol.. yes, you've accepted the fact. hehe kidding la. that kid was cute though:P
mELdEe
June 1, 2005   10:06 PM PDT
 
i've been called auntie so many times since i was 14 (when i was with vern yang in the park!) i've lost count and am not bothered.

hehe i just try to avoid saying names.
Eileen
June 1, 2005   07:49 AM PDT
 
I'm quite accustomed to the ang moh way. Call names no matter who they are.. but some asians can be offended pulak. so mar fan...

sometimes i just say.. hello!! :)
Jayelle
June 1, 2005   12:48 AM PDT
 
kenneth chiew: kenneth boy ar, aunty will let you know when she has her first child ok?:)

arshana: WAH! the nurse so fierce one ar? eheh, be thankful you haven't been called a makcik la. all these women can be so bitchy!

kyle: haahah.. that one definitely have to call by name la. I also got an aunty who's about 10 years old:) She's so cute. ehehehhe. her sister is your age.. and she went to NS, so my AUNTY tells me her experience in NS. lol.cool boh? ..aahha..ok boy, you happy happy call while I remain confused.
kyle the GREAT
May 31, 2005   10:33 PM PDT
 
well, i hav an auntie who is 11 and an uncle who is 9. i dont know wat 2 call them also. si by name loh...

well, unmarried below 40 still cheh cheh.. above dat is AUNTY!!!
arshana
May 31, 2005   04:48 PM PDT
 
What a sensitive topic. I remember once we went to the clinic, my dad told my sis to call the nurse makcik. She got pissed. She said why not just call her nenek. She was obviously young. And it was obviously my dad's fault. Hehe..

And another time back in school, there was this lady working in the office. She was so makcik-material, but she hated when ppl called her makcik. Hello.. It is the truth after all. Just to get work done, must resort to Kak. Ceh...

I haven't got called makcik before. Must be sad. Only Kak, but the other person is so makcik-like. Life is so unfair.
Kenneth Chiew
May 31, 2005   08:23 AM PDT
 
Aunty Jor Leen! I want Milk!! :P
Jayelle
May 31, 2005   01:07 AM PDT
 
eyeris: haha.. yes correct. and the uncles, "bang". Heheh, but if you're unsure if she's a makcik or a cik..you can mumble out the "mak"with a prominent CIK..:D heheh. wonder how the Indians have it going?
Jayelle
May 31, 2005   01:06 AM PDT
 
kimberlycun: hehe, yeah, you do that!*sokong*

debun: ahaha..kesian..:) i understand.*pat, pat*.. ehh..where got so free must come and visit you EVERYTIME i come down to Damansara? haiyo

dustyhawk: ..*grr*

expectation: lol.. you don't look old at all.. eheh..maybe u were dressed maturely at that time?

belacan: ahah.. if there are kids who call you "oi" then that's seriously rude la:D lol. but if I meet you in person I cannot bring myself to call you Uncle leh..! Unless of course you meant what you want is for YOUR kids' friends to call you Uncle.

synical: haha, i get called ma'am alot too.. but that's ok!

colette: lol see, a good example of frustration. sure your cousin's not teasing u?

c: still needs abit of readjusting those rules...like I said, jie jie is too awkward..;\.. ehehehe.. poor 14 year old you:) ma'am is fine.. it's quite sophisticated if anything..:) lol.. getting sophisticated..not old:D

kyle: you still call them chehcheh?

sush: lol CORRECT THEM LA.. hahahaha..lol but are YOU comfortable? same la..I got an Uncle who's as old as one of my cousins who also doesn't want me to call him Uncle. hohohohoh.




eyeris
May 31, 2005   01:05 AM PDT
 
it's a lot easier when it's a malay lady - just call her 'Cik' or 'Kak' no matter how old or young she looks (of course, if she looks younger than you, call her Cik lar).

I almost NEVER use Makcik. :)
Sush
May 31, 2005   12:53 AM PDT
 
hahaha. My niece is MY age, ok Jo? The little kids in the neighbourhood have started calling me aunty liao. >.< hehe. Maybe it's the height. lols. Nah, no worries lar. As long as you're comfortable and THEY are comfortable, then it's fine. I have an Aunty of mine, (a real one) who refuses to be called Aunty cuz she's err....small and petite and only 26. Hehe.
kyle the GREAT
May 31, 2005   12:37 AM PDT
 
my definition is like dis...

aunty = married or ppl above 40
jie jie = unmarried ppl
c
May 30, 2005   11:39 PM PDT
 
but then again.. obviously when someone not much younger than u calls you aunty.. you can just basically strangle them. hehehe

ma'am is not uncommon. it's cuz they don't wanna have the problem of deciding whether you're old enough to be called ma'am or young enough to be called miss... well, at least you weren't called ma'am throughout an 11 hour flight when you were.. oh.. 14? stared daggers at the air-stewardesses..

*starree*

but i notice with each passing year.. i'm getting used to it and i couldn't care less anymore. signs i'm aging? *oh no*
c
May 30, 2005   11:36 PM PDT
 
aiyer.. it's just a title.. dunno why some ppl are so picky about it..

how about the guideline:

if you're young enough to be my child.. then call me aunty..

if i'm older than u but you're not young enough to be my child.. then call me jie jie.. or a name.

i'm i'm your age or younger.. name will suffice or if you really wanna be formal.. mei mei/di di

simple no?
colette
May 30, 2005   11:20 PM PDT
 
I almost tore my cousin's hair out when he called me 'Aunty' at age 14!!!*sigh*Another 'aunty' & I'm gonna start walking around with a tag,'I AIN'T NO AUNTY!!!!'
synical
May 30, 2005   09:51 PM PDT
 
I got called "Ma'am" a lot nowadays, even by the Starbucks baristas... O_o DIE!!!!!
expectation
May 30, 2005   09:23 PM PDT
 
got ppl call me aunty before...*sulk* i look that old meh?!?!?
but cant blame them, alot ppl think aunty sounds more respectful.
Belacan
May 30, 2005   07:45 PM PDT
 
i prefer to be called uncle but people har, sigh.. still call me "Oi!". Man, my family ain't Oi ler. ;)
*^Dustyhawk^*
May 30, 2005   06:43 PM PDT
 
oh aunty !!
debun
May 30, 2005   06:26 PM PDT
 
hahahah, oi, i got ppl calling me MAK CIK in the middle of ONE UTAMA.. i almost told the girl this.. "EH, KAMU BUKA MATA BESAR BESAR, tengok baik baik, ini MAK CIK ker KAKAk??" AHAHAH.. i didn't la.. dam funny if i did that.. anyway, it's dam hard to call me ppl nowadays.. suddenly u say aunty, they'll ask u straight in the face.. EH, do i look OLD to u?? *rolls the eyes*.. aisay..

EH! y u come Damansara also never come and find me??? haha
kimberlycun
May 30, 2005   06:01 PM PDT
 
sensitive fools...i shall call them how i like as long as it's respectful
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