"I could care less"....???

[Axver]

In Australian, "partner" used to me a person in a same sex relationship, once upon a time. The definition has loosened over time. Except with some old folks. I wouldn't recommend telling your grandfather you have a partner. loll.

Everyone I've known uses 'partner' to mean someone they're romantically involved with, not just a same sex relationship. I'm rather accustomed to it, as my aunt has never married my uncle, and they always use the term 'partner' - even around people of my grandmother's generation.

That said, even though they were the first members of my family to cross the ditch, they're still both from NZ. Maybe NZ's different.

 

[biff]

Also, I've been told by a few people that in the US, if you refer to someone as your 'partner', it means they're of the same sex as you - in other words, that you're gay. Any Americans want to confirm or deny this? I'd use 'partner' to refer to someone I'm romantically involved with but not married to. I hate the word 'girlfriend' because it sounds so 13-years-old, but I use it online now after a couple of Americans told me 'partner' makes me sound like I have a boyfriend.

I can't speak as an "American", but as a North American, the word "partner" now is used to express either "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" or even "spouse". It most definitely is not assumed to mean "same sex partner". At least not in my circle.

 

[BAW]

That phrase is meant to mean something good in the US?

Oh, NOW I find out. I really want to know what's wrong with saying 'I was lucky' - or here, saying 'I wasn't lucky'.

Also, I've been told by a few people that in the US, if you refer to someone as your 'partner', it means they're of the same sex as you - in other words, that you're gay. Any Americans want to confirm or deny this? I'd use 'partner' to refer to someone I'm romantically involved with but not married to. I hate the word 'girlfriend' because it sounds so 13-years-old, but I use it online now after a couple of Americans told me 'partner' makes me sound like I have a boyfriend.

I've heard quite a few people from the UK and Ireland refer to their (opposite sex) signifcant others as their partner so its not something strange to me but yes, many Americans would think you were referring to a same sex partner.

 

[beli]

That said, even though they were the first members of my family to cross the ditch, they're still both from NZ. Maybe NZ's different.

Yes, well you have had a female PM, and we ..... we..... we..... haven't.

 

[Axver]

Yes, well you have had a female PM, and we ..... we..... we..... haven't.

Two, actually, but I try to forget Jenny Shipley ever existed.

 

[Axver]

Thanks to the North Americans for the info.

Might the understanding of 'partner' change with the region? The Americans who told me 'partner' is used for a same sex partner were from the south.

 

[indra]

That phrase is meant to mean something good in the US?

Oh, NOW I find out. I really want to know what's wrong with saying 'I was lucky' - or here, saying 'I wasn't lucky'.

Yup. Lucked out is a good thing. Now, shit outta luck is not a good thing (as you probably already figured out).

And slang isn't supposed to be easy for outsiders.

 

[Axver]

Yup. Lucked out is a good thing. Now, shit outta luck is not a good thing (as you probably already figured out).

And slang isn't supposed to be easy for outsiders.

I'm shit outta luck when it comes to understanding your slang, it seems.

 

[BAW]

Responding to Axver:

I'm not sure if region has anything to do with it but anything is possible. I'm from California and partner is the word most of the gays/lesbians I know use to describe their signifcant others




*I forgot to quote

 

[biff]

But in Canada, "lucked out" is a negative. Ain't language grand?

 

[BAW]

But in Canada, "lucked out" is a negative. Ain't language grand?

I had no idea it had a different meaning in Canda. This thread has been very educational!

 

[Axver]

OK, so let's get this straight (no pun intended): Canadians will call someone they are romantically involved with a partner, regardless of gender, and when the relationship ends, they have lucked out; meanwhile, an American gay man, upon meeting his partner, has lucked out.

Yeah, language is grand.

 

[biff]

By Jove, I think he's got it!!

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

Sometimes "girlfriend" doesn't mean someone that you're romantically involved with in the US either. It can also mean a woman's female friend. It's more commonly used by older people though. If I am going over to a friend's house my grandma will say that I am going to my girlfriends house and she is always talking about her girlfriends from high school.

I bet most of you would be appaled if you heard me speak. I am from Southerrrrn California and you would probably like want to like strangle me like everytime I said like

 

[A_Wanderer]

I see nothing wrong with girlfriend being used, I think that "partner" when used for dating heterosexuals in agonisingly bland (with the exception of de facto couples where it is more than boyfriend/girlfriend but not husband/wife).

And we say mate/mates for male friends ~ somehow a man cannot pull off calling his male friends 'boyfriends' without it coming of queer.

 

[Axver]

Sometimes "girlfriend" doesn't mean someone that you're romantically involved with in the US either. It can also mean a woman's female friend. It's more commonly used by older people though. If I am going over to a friend's house my grandma will say that I am going to my girlfriends house and she is always talking about her girlfriends from high school.

My mother uses 'girlfriend' in the same sense, though she uses it a lot less than she used to because she's been getting more and more funny looks lately.

Originally posted by A_Wanderer
I see nothing wrong with girlfriend being used, I think that "partner" when used for dating heterosexuals in agonisingly bland (with the exception of de facto couples where it is more than boyfriend/girlfriend but not husband/wife).

When I think of 'girlfriend' in the romantic sense (as opposed to the other meaning just discussed), it just makes me cringe and reminds me of grade eight. Maybe I'm the only person who thinks that way? That's just what it brings to mind.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

And we say mate/mates for male friends ~ somehow a man cannot pull off calling his male friends 'boyfriends' without it coming of queer.

Same here, except for the mate part. Here mate means spouse.

 

[meegannie]

I believe the language is also changing due to a general dumbing down. An other expression that is frequently mangled is "six pence non the wiser". This phrase is often misquoted as "six pence non the richer" which makes no sense.

I think that use comes from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, though I don't recall him using that phrase exactly. It's from an illustration about a child asking his father for sixpence to buy the father a birthday present. The father is happy with the present, but he's not any richer since he gave his son the money in the first place. I don't think I've heard anyone say "sixpence none the richer" apart from the band with the same name, but maybe I just don't pay enough attention to people.

 

[beli]

I think that use comes from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, though I don't recall him using that phrase exactly. It's from an illustration about a child asking his father for sixpence to buy the father a birthday present. The father is happy with the present, but he's not any richer since he gave his son the money in the first place. I don't think I've heard anyone say "sixpence none the richer" apart from the band with the same name, but maybe I just don't pay enough attention to people.

Thanks for that info. I didn't know that. I haven't read 'Mere Christianity'.

 

[bammo2]

this thread

one of my pet hates is Aluminum.

What the hell???? It's Aluminium

 

[bammo2]

And I really, REALLY hate the way that the british media have started using Americanisms

for example, talking about shopping malls, or sidewalks.

 

[beli]

this thread

one of my pet hates is Aluminum.

What the hell???? It's Aluminium

lol.

My family are metallurgists so I have heard this before. The other one is Vanadium, just with pronunciation though.

I once heard a person from the USA say "vanadium" and I had no idea what they were talking about, the pronunciation was that different.
Van-a-de-um he said. We say Van-aid-e-um.

The confusion makes for interesting conversation if nothing else. lol.

 

[bammo2]

or Carribean

thats another one that messes with my head

 

[bammo2]

I know I'm getting into the realms of pronunciation now, but I still get annoyed with N American visitors pronounce the city I live in as Notting-Ham, with the emphasis on the 'ham'. It's pronounced Nottingum, with the emphasis on the Nott

much like Edinburgh is not pronounced Edin-Bur-Oh or Scarborough is not pronounced Scar-Bur-Oh or Melbourne is not pronounced.....erm.....Mel-Bourne lol

 

[Anthony]

Oooh, what a lovely thread. Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and Americans all debating over who butchers the glorious English language the most.

Still, you can forgive the Australians, who tend to have accents so bleeding nasal they're actually sexy. New Zealanders I have no beef with, except that they sound like Australians with severely clipped accents. Even some parts of the USA have some truly delectable accents - but I do have peeves.

I LOATHE the way some of you guys say 'nu-killer' for nuclear. PRE-sentation with a horrid accentuation of the 'pre'. 'Aluminum' has been mentioned here already, but what on Earth is the deal with 'Twosday' and 'I'-raq?

Ant.

 

[beli]

or Carribean

thats another one that messes with my head

Ditto. I once had a work calll from the Caribbean. She pronounced her country and I didn't know what she said. I know now but it sounded really foreign at the time. But Im the foreign one. I dont know why we pronounce it differently here.

 

[beli]

I know I'm getting into the realms of pronunciation now, but I still get annoyed with N American visitors pronounce the city I live in as Notting-Ham, with the emphasis on the 'ham'. It's pronounced Nottingum, with the emphasis on the Nott

much like Edinburgh is not pronounced Edin-Bur-Oh or Scarborough is not pronounced Scar-Bur-Oh or Melbourne is not pronounced.....erm.....Mel-Bourne lol

I once watched a documentary on this very topic. Apparently people from the USA predominately emphasise the last part of a word, whereas Australians emphasis the first part. Hence the Marilyn M'n-row the USA people say, instead of the Mike Mun-ro, Australians say. And obviously English people too. lol.

 

[beli]

I but what on Earth is the deal with 'Twosday' and 'I'-raq?

Do you pronounce "mute" as mewet or moot, or something else? Im just curious. I say the first one.

 

[bammo2]

I LOATHE the way some of you guys say 'nu-killer' for nuclear. PRE-sentation with a horrid accentuation of the 'pre'. 'Aluminum' has been mentioned here already, but what on Earth is the deal with 'Twosday' and 'I'-raq?

Ant.

Ooooooooooooh yeah I'd forgotten about those ones

And what about 'Ve-Hick-Le

....

 

[bammo2]

ooh and Mobul instead of Mo-Bile

oooooooh and Rowt instead of Route