what happened to "spouse" that got replaced with "partner"?

[Anonymous]

It's fine, but not very romantic. It wouldn't occur to me to use the same word for my lover as my business associate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just following the lead of those trendsetting Canadians.

Care to share??

Huh. I’m Canadian so maybe that’s why the word partner doesn’t trigger me into a tizzy about what other people call their, well, partner.

[Anonymous]

I think it sounds stupid wokespeak and so I avoid using it. If the desire is there, one can almost always avoid inserting a label (partner, girlfriend, significant other, spouse, whatever).

Person A: hey is Mary coming to the barbecue?

Person B: Yes, she rsvp'd they'd be coming after 3 o'clock.


Person A: I need to get a headcount. Is Susie coming to the escape room or not?

Person B: She is; she and Jim plan to attend.


Person A Grandma: Is Kara coming back to Massachusetts for Christmas?

Person B: No, so sad, this year Kara's spending Christmas with Lisa in California.

Person A Grandma: Oh! I'll miss her. Who is Lisa?

Person B: Grandma they've been seeing each other pretty seriously for 3 months now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just following the lead of those trendsetting Canadians.

Care to share??

Huh. I’m Canadian so maybe that’s why the word partner doesn’t trigger me into a tizzy about what other people call their, well, partner.

Also Canadian and in my circles, it's very common. Not sure what all the fuss is over?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it sounds stupid wokespeak and so I avoid using it. If the desire is there, one can almost always avoid inserting a label (partner, girlfriend, significant other, spouse, whatever).

Person A: hey is Mary coming to the barbecue?

Person B: Yes, she rsvp'd they'd be coming after 3 o'clock.


Person A: I need to get a headcount. Is Susie coming to the escape room or not?

Person B: She is; she and Jim plan to attend.


Person A Grandma: Is Kara coming back to Massachusetts for Christmas?

Person B: No, so sad, this year Kara's spending Christmas with Lisa in California.

Person A Grandma: Oh! I'll miss her. Who is Lisa?

Person B: Grandma they've been seeing each other pretty seriously for 3 months now.

Sure, but in contexts like work the lack of specificity of partner is a plus. I don't necessarily want to divulge the name of my "partner" or what my status is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BF/GF sounds juvenile past age 35 or so.

This is why my friends who have been together awhile but aren’t choosing to get married use it.

+1. If you are woman and say you have a BF all the married women want to hear about your wild Sex and the City like dating life that sounds exciting! When you say you've been together 14 years and have 2 kids they feel misled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a ridiculous word to describe a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship; yet another attempt by infantilized progressives to rewrite the language to their own self-serving means.

Whenever someone uses that term, I ask how long they've been working together.

Language evolves, unlike you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a ridiculous word to describe a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship; yet another attempt by infantilized progressives to rewrite the language to their own self-serving means.

Whenever someone uses that term, I ask how long they've been working together.

You don't even know the meaning of the word partner, and somehow that is progressive's fault. What don't you blame on progressives, you dummy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a ridiculous word to describe a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship; yet another attempt by infantilized progressives to rewrite the language to their own self-serving means.

Whenever someone uses that term, I ask how long they've been working together.

Language evolves, unlike you.

“Partner” floating around on its own is an inherently meaningless term, though. John and Jane could be business partners, dance partners, tennis partners, figure skating partners, spades partners, and so on. AAs in some parts of the country call their friends their partner too. Even the gays long qualified it as “life partner”.

Utterly vague and vapid language for people too lacking in courage to call a thing by its name. You feel childish for calling a 50 year old man your boyfriend? It’s because the whole premise is childish on its face!

[Anonymous]

I don’t like it. Spouse has a meaning (marriage), partner does not. It’s best to use clear language. Spouse is also gender neutral.

[Anonymous]

I’m straight and say homosexual partner. 🤣

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a ridiculous word to describe a person with whom one is in a romantic relationship; yet another attempt by infantilized progressives to rewrite the language to their own self-serving means.

Whenever someone uses that term, I ask how long they've been working together.

At least you out yourself as being uneducated. It’s best others know quickly. FYI, Partner has been the norm to be used for adults in countries like the UK and Australia forever.

So? Since when are they the standard bearers?

[Anonymous]

I use partner when I am talking generally because it includes spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, and fiancé. It’s a catch all for whatever type romantic relationship you are in.

I use husband when I am talking about my husband.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My boyfriend uses "partner" because he's too chicken to get married, but "boyfriend" makes him feel disposable, like we're just dating and someone else could swoop in and snatch me up. I guess he feels partners are committed, but boyfriends get dumped.

I refuse to use it. I told him he's just a boyfriend until he puts a ring on it, then he can be upgraded to husband. But I'm not using "partner", if he won't commit, why should I?

You are a lot smarter than he is. I hope he deserves you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it sounds stupid wokespeak and so I avoid using it. If the desire is there, one can almost always avoid inserting a label (partner, girlfriend, significant other, spouse, whatever).

Person A: hey is Mary coming to the barbecue?

Person B: Yes, she rsvp'd they'd be coming after 3 o'clock.


Person A: I need to get a headcount. Is Susie coming to the escape room or not?

Person B: She is; she and Jim plan to attend.


Person A Grandma: Is Kara coming back to Massachusetts for Christmas?

Person B: No, so sad, this year Kara's spending Christmas with Lisa in California.

Person A Grandma: Oh! I'll miss her. Who is Lisa?

Person B: Grandma they've been seeing each other pretty seriously for 3 months now.

Sure, but in contexts like work the lack of specificity of partner is a plus. I don't necessarily want to divulge the name of my "partner" or what my status is.

This makes no sense though. If you don't want your professional colleagues to know if you are romantically coupled, or not, with another human being, then don't say anything. At all. ie, don't say "Aidan" or "Emily," and also don't say "partner" or "lover" or "husband."