Er (human) and Im (pet)

[Peter Walker]

Why is it that every woman or girl was referred to as her, not she, and when speaking we dropped the haitch.
I can only remember one instance where a male was referred to as im (no haitch). That was for the tomcat. My mum and granddad used to talk to our first kitten, saying to him something like "Im, im, pussy wussy, who be the boofullest pussy in the werld?".
This is over 60 years ago now, but it would be interesting to know how other people talked to their pets then, and even now.
Peter

 

[rowan]

Me? I talk to my cats all the time I even sing to them as we climb up the stairs to bed!!!!!!!

We often meet people when we are out and about who talk to their dogs as my own Mother did when she was alive. I remember my Grandmother calling her dog "My likkle didums, come for your din dins"!!!!!!!!!111