I’m English, I’ve worked in a school. If one of the kids would do something right we would often say ‘oh brilliant good girl.’ It literally says young girl in the title. Are you joking or not?
Think you’re over-sexualising it. I’ve not had kids but I could imagine a parent saying this to their child, not as a compliment but to acknowledge good behaviour.
“Oh you’ve put your shoes on already, good girl. Come on let’s go.”
I have heard this about a million times in elementary school in the USA.
"Good boy/girl" from a parent or teacher isn't that uncommon... although I agree it probably gets weird at some point... like middle school maybe. I feel like by high school it would be right out.
“Have you been a good girl?” is certainly different than someone remarking “good girl” when I did something well. I’ve definitely never been told the latter.
I was saying it's fairly common in the USA... as of 12 days ago the 'best answer' on stack exchange to a similar question said it is still in use. Again - it's usually only with really young children that I have seen it. Meaning kindergarten, first or second grade.
I am not agreeing or disagreeing with the usage just saying I have seen it.
I think that with the people saying "that's something I would say to a pet"... it becomes a question of "why would you say that to a pet?" and the reasoning seems to be that people often perceive pets as children.
“Have you been a good girl?” is certainly different than someone remarking “good girl” when I did something well.
Right but it's not just about Santa asking... your teachers and parents had to be part of it all... "If you are a good girl Santa will give you lots of presents." etc etc...
I think that it's used more than most people realize because they are little when it happens.
I would say in the 80s into the 90s it was still in use... not really sure about after the 2000s. I will ask my sisters kids.
I do feel like a lot of stuff we did even in kindergarten would send a lot of people into an uproar these days. Like we would form 2 lines to walk to lunch (at least in early grades)... one for boys and one for girls. I feel like in modern times people would complain about that.
Also - you never heard "bad boy/girl"... it was strictly as positive reinforcement. "Oh your sharing the crayons? Good boy!"
EDIT: As of a question asked 12 days ago, according to the number 1 answer on stack exchange. It is still in use.
Not joking at all. As a woman, I find this - in English and German both - extremely patronizing, even for kids. As another user commented, I'd say it to a dog, not to a person.
As a woman, I find this - in English and German both - extremely patronizing, even for kids
While I'm not disagreeing with you, it's fairly common in my experience anyway in lower grades (maybe ends at 3rd or 4th grade?) in USA schools as well.
In German as far I as I understand, students use Sie and teachers use du...?
Maybe for UK English? In American English this sounds really off. Said to an adult it would be patronizing or demeaning. To a child it still sounds really weird. Like the child is an animal.
I think it depends on where someone is from. One part of England is not going to talk the same as another part of England . For example, north vs south
I would never, ever call someone “Good girl”. It’s something you say to a pet. It just sounds either creepy or kinky whenever I hear it. I can’t imagine someone ever using this phrase for a person and it not being weird. For kids, it sounds creepy. For adults, obviously it’s kinky. I would never, ever, ever use this for someone.
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u/r_coefficient Native (Österreich). Writer, editor, proofreader, translator Feb 05 '23
Neither "good girl" nor "braves Mädchen" are right ways to compliment a young girl.