# Words you can not say as a real man(addition) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 3, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928 "2004-09-03T06:23:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/41 "2004-09-03T16:40:37Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > “Anorak” is actually an Inuit word. I am beginning to suspect that my French book didn’t really have much of a clue WRT fashion. First it couldn’t make up its mind what exactly an anorak was, now I find out it’s gone stealing words! ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/42 "2004-09-03T16:57:02Z")
FWIW, I think “anorak” sounds manly. “Hey! Hands off my anorak, jack!” I don’t think a man should say “duvet”, and “comforter” is borderline. “The big blanket” is acceptable. But not “fluffy blankie”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/43 "2004-09-03T17:06:33Z")
[Unzips, Looks Down, Yup-No Strap on here] There are 2 words you’ll never hear pass my lips. I have no problem typing them, I just don’t say them. 1) **Cookie** : I just hate the way the word sounds when I speak it. I have no problem hearing others use it. I opt to use the specific word (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, oreo) as opposed to the general term. Even with a friend of mine who has a cat named cookie, I’ll refer to it as cooks. It’s probably one of the stupidist hang ups a person can have, but I can’t help it. For all I know, it’s some kind of defense mechanism that goes back to hearing Paul Lynde say “Have a cookie” on Hollywood Squares when I was a kid. 2) **Certificate** : Another one I just don’t ever use. Seeing that I hate shopping - _(does that make me a real man?)_ - I usually give gift certificates as presents. I hate the word ceftificate so much, I’ll either buy them online or ask for a _gift check_ at a retail store or restaurant. Without fail, the clerk will say, “Gift Check? You mean Gift Certificate?” To which I’ll answer, “Yup”. [/Zips up and asks himself, could there be a weirder hang up?] ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/44 "2004-09-03T17:11:35Z")
> [@Standup Karmic](#): > > Well you’re _clearly_ not a very manly man then, are ya **goddess**. I always knew I wasn’t manly, but to discover I sound dumb? Oh wait, I knew that too… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/45 "2004-09-03T17:37:56Z")
How about “precious”? Not in the sense of valuable, but in the sense of cute: “Awww, that’s just precious!” Come to think of it, if I ruled the world, women wouldn’t use this word either. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/46 "2004-09-03T17:46:37Z")
I just called and asked our mailroom guys, a couple of hardcore gang-bangas from the 'hood, yo: they both said they’d call a hooded sweatshirt a hoodie. My husband, a grizzled old BCPD detective (well, as grizzled as a thirty-one year old could be), calls 'em hoodies, too. I, a gnarled old broad from the mean streets of Mt. Vernon who’d just as soon cut ya as look at ya, call 'em hoodies, too. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/47 "2004-09-03T18:18:27Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > You are not a real man if you’ve ever properly referred to. whatever it is, as “appliquè”. Houston, we have a problem. For the sake of preserving both my manliness and my job, could you please suggest an alternative to the technical term “applique armor” that will be reliably understood? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/48 "2004-09-03T18:21:34Z")
I always thought the word “anorak” was reserved for use in the New York Times crossword puzzle, anyway. Along with “era” and “eon”. How about the word “horsey” or “horsie”? Year and years ago, when I worked at Arby’s, I discovered that manly men didn’t like that word. See, in addition to their “Arby’s Sauce” (barbeque sauce), Arby’s also has a horseradish sauce that they call “Horsey Sauce”. When I worked the drive-thru window, I always was amused by the way the men would order. “I’ll have a Beef & Cheddar. I want some Arby’s Sauce and, um, some… horseradish…” ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/49 "2004-09-03T18:29:41Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > How about “precious”? Not in the sense of valuable, but in the sense of cute: “Awww, that’s just precious!” Come to think of it, if I ruled the world, women wouldn’t use this word either. the only way that could work is if it’s said in a gravelly, raspy voice, and immediately followed by the exclamation “Gollum! Gollum!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/50 "2004-09-03T18:55:48Z")
> [@JoeSki](#): > > I think we can safely add the word “lollygag” to this list, assuming it hasn’t already been added at the creation of the list. Harumph! Darn right! Intentionally wasting time is “nammyjacking” for a real man. I figured maybe “hoodie,” like “homie,” meant somebody from your neighbor"hood." Now, a **hoodee,** on the other hand, is one of those guys in the pictures from Abu Ghraib, one who has been hooded. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/51 "2004-09-03T19:14:27Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > (I read a humorous anecdote once about a woman who presented her love thing with some “scrambled egg pie,” which he enjoyed a great deal. Only after dinner did she inform him he had just eaten quiche, and liked it.) Yeah, I think it was here on the boards not too far back. IIRC, she described said comestible as a “ham, cheese, and egg pie.” Mmmanly! ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/52 "2004-09-03T19:19:19Z")
I always thought Horsey Sauce was a stupid name for it. As a woman, I would never be able to refer to it by name. Thank goodness I think Arby’s is an abomination. That reduces the likelihood of this being a problem. I don’t like the word hoodie, either, so I’m not gonna use it. EVER! ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/53 "2004-09-03T19:27:01Z")
Dickie should be on the list. My husband once asked me: "What is that thing you can wear when you don’t want to wear a whole shirt? Is it a…_dickie?"_ I told him yes, they are called dickies, and IMHO, they are dumb. Plus…if you can hardly bring yourself to say it…how will you ever wear it??? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/54 "2004-09-03T19:41:28Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > Hey, you handyman types, take note: Real men say that they put up some curtains. They did NOT _fashion a window treatment_. Thank you. Wouldn’t that be _‘hung’_ curtains? 😉😃 Consistency people! Consistency!! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/55 "2004-09-03T19:58:56Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Wouldn’t that be _‘hung’_ curtains? 😉😃 Only if their name is Andre, or maybe Raphael. Real men put up curtains. Really, just ask Flex Crush. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/56 "2004-09-03T20:19:52Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Real men cannot even pronounce Kwich; Or Queesh; Or whatever it’s called. You know, that custard pie-like thingie served in restaurants with a lot of ferns. Sadly, thousands of American men are slapped by irate waitresses every year when they order a “quickie.” We’re a monoglot lot, and easily confused by foreign terms. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/57 "2004-09-03T20:28:03Z")
- _taupe_; - _divine_ (theology discussions excepted); - _darling_ (unless the ‘g’ is omitted). This thread recalls an old National Lampoon article that explained how to tell a gay man from a lumberjack: _Gay man_: “Twyla Tharp is divine” _Lumberjack_: “Twyla Tharp is real talented” ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/58 "2004-09-03T21:09:18Z")
A real man can never refer to a computer as a _'puter_. Actually, a real woman shouldn’t use the term, either. Save it for the fourteen-year-old girls who pepper their online discourse with plenty of **OMG!** and **LOL! 🙂** ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/59 "2004-09-03T23:48:42Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > Dickie should be on the list. > > My husband once asked me: "What is that thing you can wear when you don’t want to wear a whole shirt? Is it a…_dickie?"_ > > I told him yes, they are called dickies, and IMHO, they are dumb. > > Plus…if you can hardly bring yourself to say it…how will you ever wear it??? What if my dickie is a hoodie? ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928/60 "2004-09-04T00:10:26Z")
Then it’s a _Gentile_. Another term that real men cannot use is _crème brulee_. And it sucks, 'cuz that’s one of my favorite desserts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-can-not-say-as-a-real-man-addition/262928.md?page=4)