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.
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.
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.
