ABSTRACT
european children took for granted, years ago, that there were two kinds of women: women like one's mother, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, cousins, family friends; and the others. The others were habitually called "them"; "one of them," une d'elles, una di quelle were the common euphemisms. When one absent-minded grown-up started talking about "them" in front of children, the other grown-ups winked, coughed, and pointed with their chins to the little tots. The topic changed abruptly. Young ladies were asked to leave the room when "they" were mentioned.
