Things that the English language desperately needs

[Peremensoe]

@acsenray

Well, you’ve just shown that English actually has such a word that everyone immediately understands. You just have a prejudice against it. I hear it every day, and people never misunderstand it or think people who use it are juvenile when they’re clearly not.

Plenty of people do hear the words “boyfriend” and “girlfriend,” applied to others or to their own relationship, as meaning either actual youth, or else a lack of commitment and maturity. From the other thread,

@lindsaybluth

I’ll call him your boyfriend cause that’s what he is. He’s not your fiance - you’re not there yet. Or your spouse - clearly you’re frightened of the idea.

@jsgoddess

I’m more and more fond of “partner.” He’s not a boy. He’s not solely my friend. He is my partner.

@Markxxx

As a 46 year old gay male, I would feel dumb referring to anyone as “boyfriend.”

@Salem

I won’t use the word “boyfriend”…he is not a boy and I’m not 16 and I do not have a “boyfriend”, thank you very much. We’re adults, with grandchildren, and houses and big people stuff.

@Little_Nemo

I figure once you reached the point in a relationship where the two of you are trying to figure out how you’re going to pay for both the mortgage and your kid’s college tuition, you’ve moved past the boyfriend/girlfriend stage.