proverb · Source-linked selection
My son's my son till he hath got him a wife, But my daughter's my daughter all the days of her life.
My son's my son till he hath got him a wife, But my daughter's my daughter all the days of her life.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying assumes a son’s marriage weakens his family bond while a daughter’s bond remains. A critical reading exposes that gendered expectation rather than treating it as a rule.
What the words are saying
The repeated son and daughter give continuity to one relationship and an apparent end to the other. Families may change after a partnership begins, but gender does not determine loyalty or care. A useful interpretation asks how relationships can adapt with respect for the couple’s independence. It should not blame a spouse for separation or impose lifelong caregiving on a daughter.
Everyday example
A family discusses changing responsibilities with both children instead of assuming that one must remain available because of gender.
When to use it
Use it critically to examine gendered expectations of family loyalty.
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What it does not mean
Marriage and gender do not determine affection, duty or the right to independence.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1467 · Son
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English