Confessions of a Tatler editor and English teacher: Best compliment or worst insult!

Princess PartyBelieve it or not every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) I currently teach more than 10 classes at different levels - it is great fun to meet so many students and parents. One of my classes is an all-girls class at Primary 2 level (they are 8 years of age going on 9). They love princesses and have been pestering me to have a princess party. After getting the parents permission we finally had our party last Saturday.

What is a Princess Party?
This is my first time to attend one and what do you need? Here is how it went down.

Private Party
Now this is a private party, so no cameras because as you know royalty don’t like to be photographed when they are off duty. So there are no pics of our event.

Walflower
Now all the P2 students were princesses and when I suggested I was also a princess that was rejected swiftly and sharply.  I was dejected – not even in the land of make-believe could I be accepted as a princess.  The look of disappointment must have been so palpable that one student suggested I could be the queen. I readily agreed but hoped they were not thinking of how Queen Elizabeth II looks today! I have never been a princess but went straight to being the queen!

Tiara Time
Every princess donned a tiara and the table was overflowing with colorful baubles. Next necklaces and other jewels were donned and even I got a  pretty one.

Makeup
Well princesses wear lip gloss! Now does a queen?  The princesses were not of one mind on this but in the end the majority decided I should also wear lip gloss.
Harmless fun I hope you will agree. Decked out in all our finery we then had our class.

Déjà Vu
After the class as I looked back I was reminded of the time when I was sub-editor of Singapore Tatler and we had numerous discussions whether we should use the word Princess in the heading or text when doing a personality piece about someone from high society.  When we think of princesses we think of the best from the real world or from fantasy.  Diana, Princess of Wales comes to mind in modern times and Princess Rapunzel (by marriage) from fairy-tale land.  So isn't describing a successful pretty leader of high society as a princess a compliment and not an insult? – the problem is the collocation complication.

When we think of princesses we think of the best.
Diana, Princess of Wales comes to mind in modern times

Collocation Complication 
Collocations are words that go together and when they go together they often can take on a whole new meaning and can be the opposite of what you thought and derogatory at times. The use of the word princess is one such example.

She’s such a Princess!
The informal meaning which means the meaning as  understood by legions of native speakers is that a princess is a pampered girl who has been sheltered all her life to the extent that she doesn’t have much idea about the real world.

She is such a princess means that she is so pampered and spoiled. In other words, a spoilt brat.  She may also have a superior air about her. She may be high maintenance and is used to getting her way. Thus if you are described as a princess it may not be the best compliment and coming back to my Primary 2 students – I always tell them that true beauties look physically nice and also beautiful words come from their mouths. Now that is the definition of a lovely lady and perhaps an angel too.

Fairy-tale Rapunzel married a prince and became a princess