WY ARE MEN CALLED GENTLEMEN

trisher

This has always had me wondering.

Why are men know as Genltemen?.........why?

Trish

barbara12

Thats a good one Trish

annie_mial

Gentle folk was in common use at one time..........

Annie

moonseed

LOVELY Well Done Hun
Steph

barbara12

Wounder why we didn't have gentlewomen

jordan7j

Hi Trisher, according to dictionary, it means a man of noble birth.
A man of honour and good behaviour
A man who does not need to earn a wage
A valet, or butler
gentle - derives from the latin, gentilis, coming from "the same clan stock or race"
Originally in 16th century, a gentleman was expected to serve in the military, if there were no wars, they entered into hunting or tournaments.
Private violence was acceptable, and often used to defend their honour.
Thats the jist of it anyway!!

mellman01

I still wonder why they call woman the Gentler Sex, I mean I've been beaten up and been put in hospital on more than one ocassion by them, and let me tell you there's nothing gentle about having a stilleto stamped into yer ear trust me!. :shock:

trisher

Annie

Yes, but exactly why did men hang on to that title. The toilets.. Gentlemen and us Women why not Gentlewomen?

Then you have Gentlemen's Tailors. You never see Gentlewomen's Tailors.

chris7

Just looked this up in me Brewer's dictionary

From the old French gentilz hom
Historically, a man entitled to bear arms but not of the nobility.
Someone of gentle birth, of position in society with manners, bearing and behaviour appropriate to such a position.
The term later came to mean any cultured man, and any man in general as a polite form of reference.


Sorry it's taken me a while to look this up so apologies if someone beat me to it.
Chris

trisher

jordan7j wrote:

Hi Trisher, according to dictionary, it means a man of noble birth.
A man of honour and good behaviour
A man who does not need to earn a wage
A valet, or butler
gentle - derives from the latin, gentilis, coming from "the same clan stock or race"
Originally in 16th century, a gentleman was expected to serve in the military, if there were no wars, they entered into hunting or tournaments.
Private violence was acceptable, and often used to defend their honour.
Thats the jist of it anyway!!

Hi Jordan

Yes, but aren't women capable of all that these days.?? We are well behaved, come from good stock, enter into the Military.Some even do hunting,others bring home the bacon as my mum used to say

trisher

mellman01 wrote:

I still wonder why they call woman the Gentler Sex, I mean I've been beaten up and been put in hospital on more than one ocassion by them, and let me tell you there's nothing gentle about having a stilleto stamped into yer ear trust me!. :shock:

Mellman

Did that really happen to you?

Well, agaiin what about the men that beat up women, that's not being gentle either.

annie_mial

Gentlewomen was used as a general term in the 19thC.

I guess there was such a hiatus for women at that point that the label died out - after all, when a wealthy woman got married her fortune then belonged to her husband unless it was very carefully legally tied up.

It's only comparatively recently that we have lifted ourselves up by the boot straps - but certainly during the 1930's there were Homes for Retired Gentlewomen etc, usually meaning teachers and governesses and the odd aristocrat down on their luck!

Annie

trisher

Annie

Really, well I never. I should have looked it up, but thought peeps in here would know why.

Trish x

mellman01

Hi Trishar no not really but from what I see on CCTV U LIKE on satalite TV it is quite common now, I think the term was more applicable years ago more than today, men being the stronger sex were being taught a social code that they should never go about beating woman, today though it’s more like a past time for fit young idiots to beat up or pick on anyone they like these day’s.
Mind you I I’ve known of at least two men who were abused by their wives/girl friends so although less common it does happen to men, mind you I don’t think I would stand for either gender abusing the other.

livinglegend

chris7 wrote:

Just looked this up in me Brewer's dictionary

From the old French gentilz hom
Historically, a man entitled to bear arms but not of the nobility.
Someone of gentle birth, of position in society with manners, bearing and behaviour appropriate to such a position.

That lets me out of being called a 'gentleman' then. Owing to my families motto: 'S rioghal mo dhream.

Joseph 8)

oneday

Thought....why are women either Miss or Mrs (okay theres Ms) to identify their marital status but men are all Mr?

jaspercat

Hi Trisher, this may be a bit contriversal but not all men are Gentlemen, sorry guys love Jaspercatxx

chile168

I agree with Mellman01, I don't like abuse by either gender.

I too have met men who have been abused by women and they were an absolute wreck. I know that statistics are higher of men abusing women but the statistics could be wrong as I believe it's harder for men to admit that they are being abused.

Eve x

jean123

livinglegend wrote:

chris7 wrote:

Just looked this up in me Brewer's dictionary

From the old French gentilz hom
Historically, a man entitled to bear arms but not of the nobility.
Someone of gentle birth, of position in society with manners, bearing and behaviour appropriate to such a position.

That lets me out of being called a 'gentleman' then. Owing to my families motto: 'S rioghal mo dhream.

Joseph 8)

Joseph, it seems we are distantly related then. "Stand Fast"

Jean

annie_mial

livinglegend wrote:

chris7 wrote:

Just looked this up in me Brewer's dictionary

From the old French gentilz hom
Historically, a man entitled to bear arms but not of the nobility.
Someone of gentle birth, of position in society with manners, bearing and behaviour appropriate to such a position.

That lets me out of being called a 'gentleman' then. Owing to my families motto: 'S rioghal mo dhream.

Joseph 8)

Please translate for the benefit of us plebs.........

Annie

barbara12

rehab44 wrote:

Roughly translated from the original manadarin meaning, Man with hand in pocket feels cocky all day

Oh and theres us talking about Gentlemen :roll:

annie_mial

rehab44 wrote:

There is no pleasing you wimmen this weekend, it must be the full to blame :roll:

Just be thankful you can blamesomething :!:

Annie

joanlawson

rehab44 wrote:

There is no pleasing you wimmen this weekend, it must be the full to blame :roll:

The full what :?:

Monty :?: :shock:

livinglegend

annie_mial wrote:

livinglegend wrote:

chris7 wrote:

Historically, a man entitled to bear arms but not of the nobility.

That lets me out of being called a 'gentleman' then. Owing to my families motto: 'S rioghal mo dhream.

Joseph 8)

Please translate for the benefit of us plebs.........
Annie

Motto: S'rioghal Mo Dhream - My Race is Royal

Part of the nobility. Therefore not a gentleman.

Joseph 8)

annie_mial

Cor blimey, I don't 'alf pick 'em! Last thing I want is a run-in with the Royals, I haven't got my curtseying feet on today!

Annie

livinglegend

Arise Lady annie, we are all equals here on this forum.

Joseph 8)