You can't replace me,ladybug.

[keannu]

The dead woman is jealous of the ex-boyfriend's girl, so she's trying to make her break up with him. The ghost said "ladybug" to the girl, and what does "ladybug" mean not as an insect?

ghost wisperer season1-10
[FONT=&#44404]1356610 - Lisa's a good woman.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404] [/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1360320 - Oh,she's got you totally snowed.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404] [/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1375470 - Why are you even here trying to score points with my parents?
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1379280 - You can't replace me,ladybug.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1381900 - Give up.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1386010 - Honey,you ok?
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1388670 - I'm sorry. I just feel a little queasy.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1393230 - I think I should go back to the car,if that's ok.
[/FONT][FONT=&#44404]1400930 - She's a lovely girl,mark.

[/FONT]

 

[BobSmith]

Hard to tell. I could only guess it's a pet name?

 

[keannu]

Hard to tell. I could only guess it's a pet name?

If it's not a common idiom, it must be the drama specific term. Just tell me if it's not common, then I can guess from the drama.

 

[Rover_KE]

Like Bob, I'd say it was a pet name.

It's certainly not a common idiom, especially in BE, where our name for the insect is ladybird.

Rover

 

[keannu]

There was no pet seen, and the ghost was talking to the girl of rivalry. I don't know, but I will check it out again.

 

[Rover_KE]

By pet name, we mean a nickname like, cuddles, dumpling, honey, sweetie, darling etc.

Rover

 

[BobSmith]

Sorry, I would have normally posted a link to the word, but my go-to source (m-w) doesn't have it defined. This one does though: pet name.

Learned a new word too: hypocorism

 

[magimagicE]

Since the context is given, "ladybug" (or lady bug, ie female pest) can only be interpretted as an insult.

The insult can also extend to the woman if she were wearing an outfit that had dots on a red background.

 

[keannu]

She wasn't wearing such clothes, but a normal outfit like grey coat with a black t-shirt inside. It must be a pet name not an insult. Ta de yifu mei shi (ladybug)!

 

[BobK]

Since the context is given, "ladybug" (or lady bug, ie female pest) can only be interpretted as an insult.

The insult can also extend to the woman if she were wearing an outfit that had dots on a red background.

:up: Probably something contextual like that. Maybe the new girlfriend is a widow (<light-bulb> - did they meet at a social event for the recently widowed?) That possibility would become more probable if she had been widowed in a fire - a reference to this nursery rhyme. And it would be just too good if she had one remaining daughter called 'Ann' ;-)

b

 

[magimagicE]

A pet name or nickname is a badge of honour, a term of affection bestowed upon you by those who know you best.

That's why "ladybug", in this instance, can't be a nickname.

In the classic love triangle, Serena and Lisa are competing for the affections of Mark.

Serena and Lisa don't know each other, and it is Serena (the deceased former bride of Mark) who is speaking at Lisa (who can't see Serena because she is a ghost/spirit)...

Now, I could go on and explain the whole plot, but that would be a lot of hardwork just to explain why the term "lady bug" is meant as an insult.

Search out Ghost Whisperer, season 1, episode 10 to decide for yourselves.

The scene occurs at 1379280 milliseconds (or approximately 23 minutes in).

 

[magimagicE]

She wasn't wearing such clothes, but a normal outfit like grey coat with a black t-shirt inside. It must be a pet name not an insult. Ta de yifu mei shi (ladybug)!

I gave two applications of how the term could be used. Both are insults, one is direct whereas the other is indirect. Since it is not the second (ie looking down on the person because of their clothing), it must be the first.

It is also a sort of play on words similar to what you might find in a cryptic crossword puzzle.

 

[keannu]

I gave two applications of how the term could be used. Both are insults, one is direct whereas the other is indirect. Since it is not the second (ie looking down on the person because of their clothing), it must be the first.

It is also a sort of play on words similar to what you might find in a cryptic crossword puzzle.

Where did you get the idea that "ladybug" means an insult used as a pet name?

 

[BobK]

Where did you get the idea that "ladybug" means an insult used as a pet name?

It's hard to think of a context where it's not an insult to call a person an insect.

b

 

[emsr2d2]

It's hard to think of a context where it's not an insult to call a person an insect.

b

Really? Ladybirds are very cute little bugs and I would be more than happy if that were my partner's nickname/pet name/endearment for me.

 

[BobK]

:up: But our 'ladybird' sounds prettier than 'ladybug'

b