Why do some people inform an adult person who is tall of the fact that he or she is tall?

It also works the other way. My husband and I are short. When meeting the new in laws for the first time they said..aren't you short!

M0nica

My 6 foot DDiL is married to my 5 foot 8 inch son. I do not think anyone has ever commented on this. We certainly haven't. She is a lovely lovely person, and not at all masculine, whatever that might mean.

The only time we joke about her height - and it is mutual, is when she visits, as we live in a medieval timber framed house with lots of beams and low ceilings, which is fine for us, we are not a tall family, at least not in our generation, but she does have to do a lot of ducking and avoiding in some places in the house.

We thought DGC might be tall, but DGD seems to be settling at 5 foot 7 inches, DGS is just on the cusp of the great growth spurt that boys have once they reach about 11, we think he may turn out tall and thin like his other grandfather, He is certainly very thin with a light frame, we wait to see what height he reaches.

Whilst I have certainly not read every thread on Gransnet, that is the first time I have ever known anyone use the abbreviation DDiL.

Gold stars to both you M0nica and to your DDiL.

People don’t say aren’t you an average sized person ??

One of our daughters friends bump into us in the supermarket and said “ Oh how are you two, I must admit you are starting to look your ages now” My husband replied “ well if you are normal we are well pleased with ourselves”. She with a red face said “how rude” and stormed off.

Jillybird

Probably not really relevant, but my younger son is 6'4 without his shoes on.

He says he gets annoyed when he meets people taller than himself! He's so used to being the tallest in any gathering and looking down, he feels demeaned when he has to look up...
interesting...

Yes, that is interesting and might well be very relevant in providing an insight towards the answer to the question asked in this thread. Thank you.

My mother repeatedly makes comments about people's features in a loud voice. I cringe at her remarks. She has no intention of marginalising them but just can't seem to see that her comments could be hurtful or anger provoking. She just thinks people are too sensitive. ?

Ah, this thread has got top spot in Gransnet daily today, though with the following link text.

> Why do people tell other people this?

I was careful when I started the thread to include the word 'some' in the question.

Oh those syllogisms!

Media headlines often do not use 'some' when they should.

AMF123

It also works the other way. My husband and I are short. When meeting the new in laws for the first time they said..aren't you short!

I don't think of it as the other way round. It is ... er ... topologically? ... the same thing!

One of the many similar experiences that tall people and short people have in common.

Another one being living in a built environment not designed with people their size being considered.

This is quite a timely thread for me, as my young grandson has suddenly shot up and is head and shoulders above his classmates. I have commented admiringly, I thought, on his height, as do others, but I feel that we should just let it go now. Another problem is that people think he’s much older than he is because of his height.
I’m not very tall and neither are most members of the family and this is a source of amusement for some! His father is tall and, to be honest, I’d rather he was on the tall side than small.

M0nica

grandetante the best taugh,t most superior person can now and again be taken by surprise and say something that sullies their impeccable upbringing and antecedents.

Yes, Monica, I am sure you are right, but I read OP's post as a comment on the fact that some people choose deliberately to comment on other people's physical appearance.

When my Grandmother was an 11 year old in the 19th century, her Headmaster said to her “My goodness, you’re going to be a tall young Lady”. She didn’t grow any more and remained at 4 feet eleven inches for the rest of her life.
Both my parents were small, yet I’m 5 feet 10 inches. People often ask me in supermarkets to reach items for them.
Hated being tall at School but love it now.

It's like when people knew you when you were thin, and they say "My, but you've grown so fat..." as if it's something you don't know.

The difficulty of designing houses for taller or shorter people would bring some negative connotations.
Although not always true-as children we were not at all well off, but my brother is 6’ 7”, according to statistics, wealthier people tend to be taller because their diets are better and poverty adversely affects height.

Tall and handsome was the request for a husband when I was a girl.

Making a comment on someone’s ‘tallness’ is seen more of a compliment that’s why some people feel ok to say it. Being tall is considered a blessing especially for a man. Shortness isn’t so desirable so it’s an insult if you say it to someone, again especially to a man. The attached article of the OP’s is interesting.

Talk about First world problems! As my mother used to say, if that’s the worst that happens you, you’re doing well.

At just over 5ft people comment on my height, but the one that used to upset me was "you are very thin, are you not well". I was fine then and since the menopause I have filled out now anyway lol
I don't know why people feel the need to state the obvious at times.

I'm re-reading Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time published in 1951. Sizeist clichés abound. The nurses caring for detective Alan Grant he dubs The Midget (5'2") and the Amazon (six-feet-odd). Mary Queen of Scots is described as six feet tall. Nearly all out-size women are cold. Ask any doctor, Grant says.

I vividly remember a visit to high school from primary and one teacher saying "oh, look at you. We'll have you on the netball team".

I was the tallest person in a year group of 300+ until 5th form when some of the lads overtook me. It didn't help that the uniform was bottle green so I was called The Jolly Green Giant.

No idea, Heard people say ‘your tiny’ too
But thats harmless and just an observation really.
An ex navy friend of my brother, who thinks his the bees
knees often comments and calls people fat when his out shopping or at meetings etc
His mid 60s, scruffy and around 26 stone if anyone should keep a unnecessary comment to himself it’s him
We have tried telling him someone will hear him one of these
Days but he won’t listen
Just can’t help some people
…. Why would he do this ?

It really doesn't take much for people to make insensitive comments about other people's appearance. I guess they must think they're perfect specimens of the human race!

MissElly

Talk about First world problems! As my mother used to say, if that’s the worst that happens you, you’re doing well.

But did you have to put up with it!

One man I never met lost money over his attitude to tall people.

As our cohort were turning 17 people were getting driving lessons and passing the driving test and people were recommending this one instructor and he was getting lots of business. A boy a couple of months older than me and almost the same height then went to him and the man had made a bit of a whoopup about him being tall and how he had would need to put the seat right back for him. So I chose not to go to him on the basis it was bad enough having to put up with it, but I wasn't going to pay money to have to put up with it. So he lost business but never knew.

My father taught me to drive as I was fearful of the possibility of some other driving instructor making a whoopup about my height. I passed first time.

Just an example of the way such comments can affect someone.

That example really is verging on oversensitivity. A whoopup over seat adjustment? Chances are every learner driver taking the driving seat will have to adjust it. It's part of the learning process. Making sure seat position, rear and side view mirror positions are right for the individual. If I take the seat after a taller person, I have to move the seat closer to the pedals. If I drive a hire care or indeed any other car that I am not the regular driver of, I have to make adjustments. Why is it such a big deal?

Oh dear. Had I better tell DH not to mention the fact that we always have to move the car seat because although he’s taller, my legs are longer.
Now if you’d told him that was why you chose not to use his instruction, you could have stopped others suffering.
The oddest bit of that story is, if your father could teach you, why would you spend money on an instructor?
Everyone suffers. Taller people are always sent to the back row of choir and shorter members always sent the front because if their height. It isn’t kind, any more than fat, thin, or short comments are, but people just learn to live with it.