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Re:A dowager is used to refer to a lady of the aristocracy whose husband has died. She only had the title by virtue of being married to the Lord/Duke/whatever. Once he died the title is passed to the first born son. Because this has happened she no longer has the right to be known as 'Lady So-and-so' - that is now her son's wife. Instead, she becomes 'The Dowager Lady So-and-so'.
Obviously this never occurs for a man, because once he's died the title passes to the son and if his wife dies it doesn't make any difference because titles pass down the male line.
Yes, well i guess its a good thing prince philip has a title in his own right... other wise he would be a dowager should QEII die before him.
the whole "passing thro the male line" thing is passe.
Dowagers true meaning might remain alive in England where it still has meaning, but in US, a any widow can be a dowager..
and as for term for old men, they do exist.. we are just less conscious of them.
in a society where a woman's prime function was seen as having children, (but a man was free to define himself) a woman who did not have children was a failure--and a word was used to define her --spinster..(an old woman still employeed doing a young womans work, because she never got down to her real work of raising children.)
a man could define himself as career, or as family man, or lord, etc.. (and yes, rich men had more options than poor..) as society has changed, "spinster" has been replaced by 'career woman'.. to signify a woman who chose options that didn't include children..
of course, language both leads and follows society, and spinster is still in use.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Post deleted by ewein ewein 06/23/02 04:50 AM Re: Blowsy wwh 06/23/02 12:47 PM Re: Blowsy WhitmanO'Neill 06/23/02 01:29 PM Re: Blowsy Geoff 06/23/02 02:58 PM Re: Blowsy WhitmanO'Neill 06/23/02 04:40 PM Re: Blowsy wwh 06/23/02 04:53 PM Re: Blowsy dodyskin 06/23/02 05:25 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) tsuwm 06/28/02 07:31 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) wow 06/28/02 08:26 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) FishonaBike 06/28/02 08:52 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) tsuwm 06/28/02 10:25 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) FishonaBike 07/01/02 03:04 PM Re: Blowsy Keiva 07/01/02 03:12 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) of troy 06/28/02 11:30 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) Capfka 07/01/02 12:22 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) of troy 07/01/02 12:34 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) FishonaBike 07/01/02 03:10 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) of troy 07/01/02 04:04 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) wwh 07/01/02 08:18 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) FishonaBike 07/01/02 09:08 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) of troy 07/01/02 10:25 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) FishonaBike 07/03/02 10:26 AM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) Keiva 07/01/02 10:58 PM Re: Blowsy (blowzy) wwh 07/02/02 12:02 AM Re: Blowsy Geoff 06/23/02 07:38 PM Re: Biddy wwh 06/23/02 07:53 PM Re: Biddy Geoff 06/23/02 10:05 PM Re: Biddy wwh 06/23/02 10:28 PM Post deleted by Geoff Geoff 06/24/02 02:08 AM Re: Biddy wwh 06/24/02 02:20 AM Re: Blowsy rkay 07/11/02 09:03 AM widow/widower of troy 07/11/02 11:56 AM Re: Blowsy modestgoddess 06/25/02 04:54 AM Re: Blowsy of troy 06/26/02 01:24 AM Re: Blowsy FishonaBike 06/27/02 09:43 AM Re: Blowsy wow 06/27/02 11:28 PM
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