And do you think there is an age (40, say) or a circumstance ( e.g. co-habiting, owning one's own house) when partner automatically becomes the more sensible word?
― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)
― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)
"partner", though - ugh.
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)
― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)
― anthony easton (anthony), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:55 (twenty-one years ago)
― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 5 June 2005 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)
*Just handle it(I can't handle it)
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 5 June 2005 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)
― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Sunday, 5 June 2005 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)
TS: Prostitute vs. Porn Star vs. Sex Professional
― The plastic yoghurt guns of Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Mantra), Sunday, 5 June 2005 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Sunday, 5 June 2005 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)
I usually just use his name. But if I need to *label*, then I just say my husband (which translates to "mijn man" in Dutch). :-)
― nathalie's baby (stevie nixed), Sunday, 5 June 2005 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)
Maybe we should just get married to avoid all these problems.
― DV (dirtyvicar), Sunday, 5 June 2005 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)
― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)
― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― shookout (shookout), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)
"Mmm."
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)
― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)
― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)
― nathalie's baby (stevie nixed), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)
― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)
― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)
― Jordan (Jordan), Sunday, 5 June 2005 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)
I guess it's supposed to imply some kind of (smug) equality, but it's like protesting too much.
― shookout (shookout), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)
You wrap me upPoor Chinese feetThe clothes I wearThey make me weak
I'm not trying to run, to runI'm not trying to run, to run, before I can
The pillows talk(Talk, talk)They talk to me(Me)Poor Chinese feet(Feet)They tell me to walk
Talk, talk, talkSay somethingTalk, talk, talkSay somethingTalk, talk, talkSay somethingTalk, talk, talkSay anything
BabyBabyBabyBabyBabyBaby(I don't want to be your)BabyBaby(I don't want to be your)BabyBaby(I don't want to be your)BabyBaby
― Ian Riese-Moraine forever! (Eastern Mantra), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)
― Vicky (Vicky), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)
I don't think I've ever referred to him as my "partner" ever. Anyone asks if he's my "partner", they get the "no, he's my husband" response.
― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ian Riese-Moraine forever! (Eastern Mantra), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)
I think I love you.
― marianna lcl (marianna lcl), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)
― to let - flats (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)
-- to let - flats (theundergroundhom...), June 5th, 2005.
like what?
― shookout (shookout), Sunday, 5 June 2005 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)
― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)
People who share a law firm (among other types of associations) use 'partner' when they are bound together in an entity that imposes mutual obligations upon them. However, when you refer to an other half, rather than a professional colleague, as a partner, you are not implicitly referring to one of several or hundreds of people.
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)
like if you introduce someone as your bf/gf, maybe the person you're introducing them to will see the relationship as "teehee! we just can't wait to get out of here and have SEX! because we can't stand to spend more than two minutes not physically involved! until two months from now, when we break up."
― to let - flats (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:11 (twenty-one years ago)
― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)
― to let - flats (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)
DA FINO Hey hey, I'm not messing with your special lady--
DUDE She's not my special lady, she's my fucking lady friend. I'm just helping her conceive, man!
― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)
― to let - flats (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:22 (twenty-one years ago)
I think, if we hadn't got married, I would still refer to the mister as my boyfriend. And people could take that as they liked.
but like I said, i tend not to refer to him like that anyway, i just introduce him by name unless someone actually wants or needs to know the nature of our relationship. I only call him the mister or mr ailsa round these parts because he doesn't post here and I don't like using his name without his say-so.
― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)
"This is Alex. We straight fuckin', ya heard?"
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)
Socially, I can never remember who's done the ceremony thing and who hasn't--even if I attended it--so it's usually just "Trisha's sweetheart" or "Daniel's guy" or whatever.
― Stephen X (Stephen X), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)
― Stephen X (Stephen X), Sunday, 5 June 2005 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)
― j.lu (j.lu), Sunday, 5 June 2005 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)
― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 5 June 2005 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)
― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Sunday, 5 June 2005 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 5 June 2005 18:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― sgs (sgs), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)
― anthony easton (anthony), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)
As far as the main question, I prefer bf/gf to partner, because for me the latter evokes two PC Sprockets-attending Germans sporting der Partnerlook.
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)
― Orbit (Orbit), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:43 (twenty-one years ago)
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:46 (twenty-one years ago)
― di, Monday, 6 June 2005 04:49 (twenty-one years ago)
― to let - flats (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:02 (twenty-one years ago)
― luna (luna.c), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:03 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)
― Orbit (Orbit), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:08 (twenty-one years ago)
― luna (luna.c), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:08 (twenty-one years ago)
― youn, Monday, 6 June 2005 07:27 (twenty-one years ago)
"it seems to acknowledge a deeper, more complicated relationship than 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' without involving marriage, strict monogamy, or heterosexuality."
no, it doesn't. the hetero/homosexuality is usually fairly clear from context, ie "this *female* 'partner' o'mine" implies a hetero relationship. boyfriend/girlfriend also fails to imply marriage, i would have thought, and as for 'strict monogamy' (is there any other kind?) who says _____friend implies this any more than 'partner'. as for "deeper and more complicated," (whateverthefuck *that*'s supposed to mean) again, i don't think partner says it any louder than anything else. "partner" makes me think of very SERIOUS people in SERIOUS clothes.
― N_Rq, Monday, 6 June 2005 08:59 (twenty-one years ago)
― ken c (ken c), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― ken c (ken c), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― N_RQ, Monday, 6 June 2005 09:32 (twenty-one years ago)
I would like to introduce Mrs the Nipper as "my Nemesis".
― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:33 (twenty-one years ago)
What about "this is my fancy man/this is my fancy woman"?
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:36 (twenty-one years ago)
xpost to Ken
I vary between 'boyfriend' and 'bloke' or 'chap' depending on to whom I'm introducing the concept of me having a boffing cohabitee. Generally I refer to Robster by his name.
― Liz :x (Liz :x), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)
This caught my eye - it had never occurred to me - is it really an issue considering heterosexual couples overwhelmingly use the same words?
― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 6 June 2005 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)
They still use it on Coronation Street! "Oh no Jack, I know what you've been up to, you've been seeing your fancy woman heck as like!" etc.
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 6 June 2005 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)
I wish i could use "lover" but you're so so right.
― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)
Come 'ere loverboy!!
― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)
A coworker last week tried to ask me something about Nick. She started off saying, "So, does your husband... I mean, boyfriend... I mean, fiancee... I mean... what is he? Your live-in lover?" Ha ha. I'm just going to refer to him as my lover for now on.
― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)
― miccio (miccio), Monday, 6 June 2005 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)
― teeny (teeny), Monday, 6 June 2005 13:30 (twenty-one years ago)
― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Monday, 6 June 2005 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 6 June 2005 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)
― Pangolino 2, Monday, 6 June 2005 17:16 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Monday, 6 June 2005 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)
― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 6 June 2005 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)
― Allyzay flies casual (allyzay), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)
next time i go to france i'll just say "paramour"...
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)
― Celeste (Celeste), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:42 (twenty-one years ago)
I think you mean copine and to be very specific, they say 'petit/e ami/e'
I do use paramour frequently 'cause gf sounds childish and significant other sounds insufficient, humorless, and clinical, like partner. Other times I call myslef her cicisbeo.
― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)
and yes i mean copine, sorry for typo.
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 6 June 2005 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)
"as-tu recontre mon petit ami?" [opens trenchcoat to reveal naked flesh underneath]
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 6 June 2005 20:07 (twenty-one years ago)
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 20:28 (twenty-one years ago)
I would not be so presumptuous as to vote on their language. ;) I find it just as deficient as boy/girl friend.
Pote means buddy or pal. Wordreference.com also has it as 'homeboy'.
― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 6 June 2005 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― di, Monday, 6 June 2005 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 6 June 2005 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Monday, 6 June 2005 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)