Preferred title for significant other?

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So the title of another thread got me wondering, what is your preferred title for a ‘significant other’ and why do you like it? What connotations does it have for you as opposed to other titles that could be used?
 
thewanderer said:
So the title of another thread got me wondering, what is your preferred title for a ‘significant other’ and why do you like it? What connotations does it have for you as opposed to other titles that could be used?
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For my significant other, or significant others in general?

My husband and I refer to each other has lifemates because we’re Christine Feehan fans. We like the term because it’s non-gender specific and it says all there is to say, really. We’re mated, for life. In fact, we used lifemate even before we got married. We met in our 40s, and the terms boyfriend and girlfriend seemed too young for us. 🙂

Mr. Lovecraft will ocassionally refer to me as his lover because he enjoys raising eyebrows. When he was at home full-time he called himself my mife, as in male wife. I was his fusband.

Luna
 
You mean terms of endearment?

I call my wife “sweetheart.” I don’t know why, it just works for me and she likes the sound of it. Really, though, it varies from day to day.

I just try not to use the term “honey” at all. Her dad calls her that, so she finds it awkward when I do.

If you’re really talking about titles in a strict sense, just “husband” and “wife.” No need for anything else, title-wise.
 
I call my wife honey and sweetheart. We also call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, and even though we are in our 40’s, it still feels like that teenage love!

BTW, thought I would pass this joke along:

***A man was invited to a friend’s home for dinner, where he noticed that his buddy preceded every request to his wife with endearing terms, calling her honey, darling, sweetheart, pumpkin, etc. He was impressed at this, since the couple had been married over 50 years.

While the wife was in the kitchen, he said, “I think it’s wonderful that after all the years, you still call your wife those pet names.”

His buddy shrugged, lowered his voice and said, “To tell you the truth, I forgot her name about 10 years ago.”:eek:***

Peace! :gopray:
 
Well, husband and wife. But there is nothing wrong with Mr. and Mrs. Snugglebunny! 🙂
 
Unfortunately, the contemporary term “Significant Other” in most cases (especially for Hollywoodites) is nothing more than spin for the old fashioned term “Mistress”. It doesn’t sound as harsh.
 
thewanderer said:
So the title of another thread got me wondering, what is your preferred title for a ‘significant other’ and why do you like it? What connotations does it have for you as opposed to other titles that could be used?
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If you are talking about words of endearment, then honey or dear, our names.

If you are talking about our titles as far as what we are to each other: husband and wife.

Maybe ought to clarify what you mean by significant other. I think you are talking about married people but are you including friends here.

Here is wikipedia’s definition significant other:

Significant other (SO) is colloquially used as a gender-blind term for a person’s partner in an intimate relationship[1] without disclosing or presuming anything about marital status, relationship status, or sexual orientation, as it is vague enough to avoid offense by using a term that an individual might consider inappropriate
 
I guess I have some clarifying to do! When I asked this I wasn’t actually looking for terms of endearment (although that could be interesting too!). In fact, I wasn’t really thinking about married people at all… I was more so thinking about people in a relationship before they get married. The man I am currently in a relationship is so much more than just a ‘boyfriend’ to me, but I don’t really know what else to call him. We’re dating, and not yet engaged. I guess I don’t like talking about a ‘boyfriend’ and ‘dating’ because those don’t seem to express enough about our relationship. I was curious to see if other people think the same way, and if they have better words to use. Also, I started thinking about people who ‘court’ instead of dating, surely they have a term for the person they are courting? I just thought it would be an interesting conversation, so have at it!
 
thewanderer said:
I guess I have some clarifying to do! When I asked this I wasn’t actually looking for terms of endearment (although that could be interesting too!). In fact, I wasn’t really thinking about married people at all… I was more so thinking about people in a relationship before they get married. The man I am currently in a relationship is so much more than just a ‘boyfriend’ to me, but I don’t really know what else to call him. We’re dating, and not yet engaged. I guess I don’t like talking about a ‘boyfriend’ and ‘dating’ because those don’t seem to express enough about our relationship. I was curious to see if other people think the same way, and if they have better words to use. Also, I started thinking about people who ‘court’ instead of dating, surely they have a term for the person they are courting? I just thought it would be an interesting conversation, so have at it!
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Oh, well that’s different then. How about “my intended”? Or… help me out here, everyone! 🙂
 
Having read the other thread, and seeing the conversations about what we would call the person “shacking up with” a family member, I remembered a family story.

My great uncle had come to visit my grandmother, his sister. He brought along his son, whose significant other also tagged along. My great uncle introduced the girl to the family as “George’s* concubine.” I remember thinking how that let everyone know what the situation was without getting all wrapped up in semantics.

*The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
 
I should probably throw in this one, part of what got me thinking about this was that somebody I was called my boyfriend my beau, and, it sounded soo much better. I’m not really sure why exactly, so I was curious what other people thought about these and other such names. I also like the idea of ‘my intended’ I’m gonna have to think about that one! If only you could use one of these in public without being looked at as if you had two heads!
 
Loren_1of6 said:
Having read the other thread, and seeing the conversations about what we would call the person “shacking up with” a family member, I remembered a family story.

My great uncle had come to visit my grandmother, his sister. He brought along his son, whose significant other also tagged along. My great uncle introduced the girl to the family as “George’s* concubine.” I remember thinking how that let everyone know what the situation was without getting all wrapped up in semantics.

*The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
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How disrespectful.
 
Loren_1of6 said:
Having read the other thread, and seeing the conversations about what we would call the person “shacking up with” a family member, I remembered a family story.

My great uncle had come to visit my grandmother, his sister. He brought along his son, whose significant other also tagged along. My great uncle introduced the girl to the family as “George’s* concubine.” I remember thinking how that let everyone know what the situation was without getting all wrapped up in semantics.

*The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
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That story says more about your great uncle (and you for approving of it) than it does about the young woman.
 
Generally: name.
In social situations that need a stated role and “Ms This and That” won’t cut it: “friend”.
In rare situations I’d probably go for something more poetic.

I hate the term “significant other” on subjective, largely subconscious grounds that relate to the poor language quality of it. It is almost as bad as “partner”.

Out of other popular denominators, while I reserve the discretionary right to refer to any non-matronly woman as a “girl” well into her early thirties, and I’ve used the term “girlfriend”, I wouldn’t like to be referred to as a “boyfriend” myself, much less “boy”, with the exception of a couple of specific contexts. No “beau” please, either.
Nec5 said:
Master and slave. Or Mistress and slave.😃
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Cable select. 😛
 
chevalier said:
I hate the term “significant other” on subjective, largely subconscious grounds that relate to the poor language quality of it. It is almost as bad as “partner”.
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I only hate that usage when the “significant other” is known. If you’re inviting John and Jane Smith and you know that they’re married, it’s inappropriate to talk about inviting John and his partner or significant other. You should invite John and his wife. However, if you just met John and wanted to invite him plus one, but didn’t know what status the “plus one” was, then I’m okay using the terms as a generic catch-all until you learn his relationship status.

The only term I really hate is “hubby”. Ugh. No.
chevalier said:
Cable select. 😛
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Ha!
 
kerebos said:
I only hate that usage when the “significant other” is known. If you’re inviting John and Jane Smith and you know that they’re married, it’s inappropriate to talk about inviting John and his partner or significant other. You should invite John and his wife. However, if you just met John and wanted to invite him plus one, but didn’t know what status the “plus one” was, then I’m okay using the terms as a generic catch-all until you learn his relationship status.
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The traditional Polish phrase would be, “together with an accompanying person.” Not sure about traditional English catch-alls.
The only term I really hate is “hubby”. Ugh. No.
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My father once introduced my brother’s girlfriend as “owner”. He got away with it (this is a family talent).
 
My FH refers to me as his fiance usually, his girlfriend sometimes out of habit. He isn’t one for pet names. He does call me ‘babe’ on occassion (not often). He will use my first name a lot.

I call him everything under the rainbow, and very rarely by his first name, unless I’m irritated.

I was taught growing up that when introducing an unmarried couple, you introduce them seperately. (IE, I am pleased to introduce Miss Jane Doe, and Mr. John Smith.)

If they insist on being introduced as a couple, i would use “I am pleased to introduce Mr. John Smith, and his girlfriend, Jane Doe.” That’s usually seen as incorrect, as it turns Jane into an attachment to John.

When sending invitations, They should each receive an invitation separately.

If you don’t know Jane, and want to invite John and a guest, just address things to John Smith and Guest.
 
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