Do you also hate the phrase "significant other"?

TJ99

Honorary Master
Joined
Apr 30, 2010
Messages
10,737
Looks like you guys don't get it. Let's
Let's say a guy gets into an accident. Police could ask him 'what's your wives number?' problem with that is of he is gay he may get offended. Hence we say 'can we call your significant other'.

Actually it helps in any situation were assuming someone's sexuality could be a bad thing.

Significant other also stops us from having a form field that's 3 lines long listing husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend or anything else. Now your form field can have 1 name. Significant other.

1. That's different. MyBB isn't a police report or accident scene.

2. "Partner" or "spouse" can work just as well in those situations.

3. Most gay people I've met aren't that petty and easily offended, he could just correct the police officer.

4. The "offended" argument makes no sense anyway, and what if the person is single, should he get offended because he doesn't have a wife/girlfriend/boyfriend?
 

Billy

Expert Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
3,690
Why can't you just say husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/lover/whatever-else-they-may-be? :confused:

Are you and your partner so insecure in your relationship that you need to make each other feel significant by literally adding the word "significant" to your titles?

Although it's not nearly as bad as "my other half". But I'd rather not get started on that one.

the term I do not like is Partner. It is vague. Is this a business partner? A date? A long standing relationship?
 

WaxLyrical

Honorary Master
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Oct 20, 2011
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25,364
People use it purely because you can abbreviate it to just 2 letters.
Better than having to type girlfriend or husband
 

Ockie

Resident Lead Bender
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Feb 16, 2008
Messages
52,925
I have never really understood why people would use SO. If I am someones boyfriend...then I would like to be referred to as such. If I am somones husband then I would like to be referred to as such and I will refer to him as my husband.
 

dabean

Expert Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Messages
1,667
I have never really understood why people would use SO. If I am someones boyfriend...then I would like to be referred to as such. If I am somones husband then I would like to be referred to as such and I will refer to him as my husband.

I've used it before to refer to "living in sin". We plan on growing old together but feel the same way about marriage. Girlfriend/boyfriend sounds a bit casual.

These days I call her "the wife" though, it's just simpler.
 

ShaunSA

Derailment Squad
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
49,827
People use it purely because you can abbreviate it to just 2 letters.
Better than having to type girlfriend or husband

This.

Always amazes me what people whine about especially when they will never get to use it anyways :whistling:
 

akescpt

Honorary Master
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
22,459
only heard the term 'SO' on the interwebs to refer to a partner.
 
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