# Things that the English language desperately needs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-the-english-language-desperately-needs/568508 "2011-01-21T22:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 62
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-the-english-language-desperately-needs/568508/62 "2011-01-25T19:00:13Z")
> [@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, > [@Does use of the term "partner" make you curious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-use-of-the-term-partner-make-you-curious/563178/31): > > 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. > [@Does use of the term "partner" make you curious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-use-of-the-term-partner-make-you-curious/563178/30): > > I’m more and more fond of “partner.” He’s not a boy. He’s not solely my friend. He is my partner. > [@Does use of the term "partner" make you curious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-use-of-the-term-partner-make-you-curious/563178/32): > > As a 46 year old gay male, I would feel dumb referring to anyone as “boyfriend.” > [@Does use of the term "partner" make you curious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-use-of-the-term-partner-make-you-curious/563178/55): > > 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. > [@Does use of the term "partner" make you curious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-use-of-the-term-partner-make-you-curious/563178/62): > > 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. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-the-english-language-desperately-needs/568508)._