Discussion Forum (Archived)
Guest
I really enjoyed the question about the babysitter / child relationship. I would agree that another word group is needed and I would suggest that we put the word “care” with the relationship. One, we need a word that kids can use to express their relationship with a babysitter. (What 9-year-old wants to admit that they have a babysitter?) Second, there is no emotion in an employee / charge relationship, but many, many babysitters have a close to familial relationship with charges. The word (going both directions) needs to convey some emotion.
I believe that you could put “care” with a variety of familial relationships and get a word with emotional impact. As a babysitter, I could be a care-parent, or even better, a care-mom or a care-dad. My charges could be my care-children or my care-child, or even more affectionately, my care-son or care-daughter. In other words, I am using the prefix “care” in a similar way to which I might use the prefix “grand”, “step”, or “foster”. Plus, I think there would be little confusion in hearing the term care-parent or care-child… it sounds like what is it. The work "care" conjures up images of daycare or care-giver.
Further, I have seen children being babysat develop close familial-like relationships with others being babysat or with the natural children of the babysitter. This new word group would allow such children to refer to each other as care-brothers or care-sisters. Given the trend for more and more children being at least partially raised by daycare providers, I think this type of addition is needed. The term "child whom I babysit" is just too awkward for common speech.
Works for me. What do you think?
How about “sitterbabies” or “sitterbabes” or even “babysits” (as in the ones being sat)? “Sitbab(i)es”, “sits”, “sitterlings”, “sitterkins”?… Hmm. This is a toughy. My question is: It's the 21st century and why don't we already have a word for this yet? Maybe a term does exist, somewhere. If all else fails, a word could be borrowed from another language. And what about a New Latin term, or would that be too technical or jargony? I mean, there's got to be a term already in some language! While not truely a kinship term, a word for it still has to have been encountered sometime in history. “Carechildren” or “carekids” sound good(, sort of). Yeah, maybe we should get some feedback from other languages; then we could create a calque that fits like a glove (or as near as dammit)! Even if this term doesn't “catch on”, nationwide or whatever, it would definitely fill a need. And there is a need. “House-” or “homepupils”? No, that sounds like you're teaching them. “Carelings” sounds really good, I think. Keep brainstorming, people! I think we're honing in! ( Really. And not like that guy who can't remember that “para-/peri-” compass word! 😉 )
Eggcorn Alert! Wordsmith, are we "honing in," or "homing in"?
Mark Liberman discussed the two phrases at length over at Language Log.
Dear All,
I would like to propose a new word: "cuidees" The stress is on the first syllable as in "sweeties". This comes from the Spanish verb "cuidar" which means to care for/about, and I've added the "ee" ending to indicate "receiver". I live in San Diego, and we are bathed in Spanish here. I think the word would have loving connotations to any bilingual Spanish/English speaker, and for non-Spanish speakers, I think the sound of "cuidee" evokes an association with "cutie" and "sweetie" in English. What do you all think?
If this word doesn't stick, I would vote for "carelings" for its similar association with "darlings" and small beings. Offhand, I can't think of any negative connotations for this word. However, "carelings" evokes "yearlings" and other little animals, so "cuidees" might be more fresh and without other associations.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
1 Guest(s)