I'm in my twenties and I've always selected the "Miss" option whenever it's applicable... No offense intended for any women who use the Ms. title, but I just think it sounds like an old maid and Miss sounds so much younger.  Am I too old now to use Miss? If not at what age do I make the change (providing I stay single)?
208762
You may retain the title of Miss so long as you live, and are unmarried.  Lots of little old spinsters in the past have chosen this title into thier eighties and nineties.  Miss or Ms really have no age designation attached to them, although I personally would not call a young girl under the age of maybe 16 "Ms".  \n\nIn this way Miss and Ms are unlike the masculine similar terms of Master (for the boy under 12) and Mister (for the male over 12).\n\nYou may choose your own title.  The only exception the that is that if you are married, you may not properly choose to be called "Miss."
460628
32 is not old, you're just in a slump girl, we all get to feeling a little bad sometimes and take it out on ourselves via age or looks or weight etc..  32 is in no way old and you are doing just great!  keep your chin up and eyes bright, things will get better for you and you will once again realise how young you are!  Stop looking for that special guy and you'll be surprised just how fast he shows up.  Did enjoy the "spinster" part though, <thump you on head>  quit being so tough on you will ya please?  LOL  Life doesn't even start until 50 or so they tell me, am surely hoping they are right too.
632259
I think I heard/read that too, now that you mention it. I guess its an obsolete term.  People generally use "bachelorette" to mean an unmarried woman.  I think "spinster" has bad connotations that people avoid it.
44031
Well, Quiet,\n It seems to me that the majority of people here are 20's and below. Their lifestyle has always included instant, within-seconds types of responses. Everything happens at the speed of light, so they ask the question, give it a minute, check the answer then move on to IMing their friend or whatever electronic, flashy toy they're playing with.\n This is meant with no disrespect, its just that they do their thing, get the info they need, and move on. You can tell that they're in a rush, as half of the questions asked are in shortened form, or some kind of electro slang that's popular with the kids now. I mean, if you can't take 5 minutes to properly spell and grammatically check your question, do you really think that they'll be back to give you a rating?\nMy opinion on the issue.\nCheers !!
503056
Dont matter what anyone thinks!! Go 4 it! I have no idea why the man has to be older than the woman anyway? Whats that all about? Im 42yrs, my mans 30yrs. There will always be people with a gripe mate! Sad people on this planet! Fact! You go for it and ignore everyones elses opinion! Good luck hun!
504367
It depends...I've been down this road with the "dears" and the "huns".  The only time I let that slide (sometimes) is if it's an older person...like 70s+ as they (most of the time) mean no disrespect and are just doing that out of habit for anyone young enough to be their children or grandchildren.  HOWEVER anyone else I will always let them know as politely as I can to please don't refer to me as "dear" or "honey", etc.  I ask them to please use my name when speaking with me.  I've gotten a few eyes rollin' or a quick look, but never had a bad comment or repercussion because of it.  It's just disrespectful I think to call anyone that - especially in a working situation.
389730
I'm not old yet, but I would think that this is the way someone over 65 would think:\n\nshe talks to fast, her skirt is to short & her shirt is to low, her jeans are to tight & she needs to be a lady !
413151
Before you even decide to have an Adult YA, please lord please update these avatars, I never seen so many hot looking 60 year olds.  I'm in my 20's & I look like I'm in High School & I'd rather not repeat that chapter in my life.
336286
Brilliant stuff! I agree with all your rants. It's great to hear that someone else gets bugged by those things.\n\nCurrently, my rants are:\n\n1.People that think any woman over 40 is having the menopause (the average age is 50!!) This is just another way to put women down, and its not even accurate!!\n\n2. Men in their 50s or older who think a woman of their own age is way too old for them and are sure that women half their age are gagging to go out with them!\n\n3. People who automatically make assumptions about people - stereotyping them (as above)\n\nOK, from this you can guess my age!!! But I'm not menopausal, just feisty.\n\nLook forward to reading more rants!!!
618494
I always had my heart set on meeting Mr. Right and being married by age 25, that didn't happen.  I am now 28 and I am desperately hoping to find someone and be married by age 30.  I think that this is a common way of thinking because no woman wants to be an old maid.  I also think that women tend to be more obsessed with the thought of growing old and becoming less attractive.
412467
It's OK to do for any purpose. Why should the woman have to give up her family name? This is no longer 1940. If the husband is going to be offended, then she should hyphenate.
17883
You've got a pretty complete list here, I think.  I'll just add that I've also heard "youse" in a small town in Northwestern Ontario where I used to live.\n\nI guess my only comment in addition to what you've written above is that Standard English seems to be rare among European languages for having the same form for second person singular and plural.  The "deep-seated need" you mentioned is an obvious one: sometimes when you're talking to a group of people, it's hard to let them know if you're talking to just one of the group or the entire group when you say "you".  It happens all the time.\n\nA similar phenomenon to the one that you're describing also happened in Spanish some time ago with the creation of "usted", which is now used as the second-person singular formal form.  My understanding is that "usted" descended from the phrase "vuestra merced", meaning "your mercy" or "your grace".  The "vuestra" in this expression is a plural form and was originally used to address royalty (in English, for example, royalty has sometimes used plural forms like the "royal we").  Over time this form got shortened and was used for singular persons of all social classes.  So an originally plural form migrated to the singular in Spanish too.\n\nIsn't it interesting that language change can happen even on the aspects of language that we use so frequently, like the pronoun system?  No wonder I love it!\n\nToo bad the previous answerer thinks this is an example of "lazy" English.  I think this is an excellent example of a situation where "nonstandard" dialects are actually more precise than the standard option.
537650
For the sake of us older men, PLEASE be outgoing and sociable.  Most single older women are completely twilight zone.  It would be nice to see some normal older women who are still available and not afraid to let people know about it.
332591
I think that somebody started saying it that way and it caught on.  I agree with you that it seems arbitrary.  It might also be that this changes over time.  Maybe a couple of decades from now, people will be saying "twenty o six".
507414
Ma'am, aren't you the same lady who asked that hilarious "What would you DO in such a situation?" question before where you spoke of an 80 year old lady  and another hilarious hypothetical question involving pee?\n\nI just saw that I'd got three thumbs down for bursting into laughter there.\n\nMay I just compliment your great sense of humor, ma'am?\n\nI really needed these laughs.\n\nThank you.
481482
She could be, but most women I know (including myself) use the form Ms.  It is not just for divorcees anymore!
173932
I'm twenty-five.  \nI look like I'm twenty-five.  \nI act like I'm twenty-five.\nI live my life like I'm twenty-five.\nEveryone thinks I'm twenty-five.\n\n*I'm actually (almost) thirty-five.\n\nThings a Man Should Never Do Past 30:\nhttp://lifestyle.msn.com/men/articlees.aspx?cp-documentid=413608&GT1=7997