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Flatmate/housemate/ but roommate?!

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  • 23-08-2012 12:17pm
    #1
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭


    I used to share houses with housemates and flats with flatmates, but I strongly objected to sharing a room at a time when landlords would squeeze in as many single beds as possible into a room and advertise it as 'suitable for 4 girls/men'. There'd be barely enough room to stand between the beds. And the single beds were specially narrow ones, so as to prevent any fraternising with the opposite sex (same sex sharing was entirely innocent in those days, except maybe for guys). That was back in the 70s.

    Nowadays most people expect a room of their own. But they call the people they share with 'Roommates'. Nuts! :confused:


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    #2
    ronan45
    Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭ronan45


    JuliusCaesar wrote: »
    I used to share houses with housemates and flats with flatmates, but I strongly objected to sharing a room at a time when landlords would squeeze in as many single beds as possible into a room and advertise it as 'suitable for 4 girls/men'. There'd be barely enough room to stand between the beds. And the single beds were specially narrow ones, so as to prevent any fraternising with the opposite sex (same sex sharing was entirely innocent in those days, except maybe for guys). That was back in the 70s.

    Nowadays most people expect a room of their own. But they call the people they share with 'Roommates'. Nuts! :confused:



    Hmmm Im in a house share i call the others house mates actually . Room mate would be a person in the same room:confused:


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    #3
    gosuckonalemon
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 730 ✭✭✭gosuckonalemon


    JuliusCaesar wrote: »
    I used to share houses with housemates and flats with flatmates, but I strongly objected to sharing a room at a time when landlords would squeeze in as many single beds as possible into a room and advertise it as 'suitable for 4 girls/men'. There'd be barely enough room to stand between the beds. And the single beds were specially narrow ones, so as to prevent any fraternising with the opposite sex (same sex sharing was entirely innocent in those days, except maybe for guys). That was back in the 70s.

    Nowadays most people expect a room of their own. But they call the people they share with 'Roommates'. Nuts! :confused:

    I know some people and none of them refer to their housemates or flatmates as roomates (nor do I).

    As a general rule if they share the house with you they are house mates, and if they share a flat with you they are flat mates.

    Hope this clears things up for you.

    Also with a changing demographic room sharing has become alot more common. Mainly among young foreign nationals who are over here to learn english and don't care where they sleep. A bit like Irish students on the J1.

    If I was young and living abroad I'd much rather share a room in a nice apartment than have my own room in a run down bedsit.


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    #4
    Agent Smith
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 21,503 Mod ✭✭✭✭Agent Smith


    I wouldnt share a room with someone, Maybe i'm weird like that, But i like to have my own space. not that i'm one of them people who hides in their room all the time, but its nice to have the option of not having to deal with people all the time.
    (relationships are different)

    I've a flat mate. not a room mate. Unless your willing to have someone there in *your* room all the time, Dont get a flat mate. I'd rather my own room in a run down place then a shared room in a lovely place


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    #5
    frag420
    Registered Users Posts: 6,158 ✭✭✭frag420


    When I first moved to Dublin a few yrs back I saw an ad for a bedshare. I kid you not. it was recomended that you were not taller than 5'4.

    It was sharing with a chinese student. €350 per month!!

    Scumbag landlords are to blame!!


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    #6
    CinammonGirl
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭CinammonGirl


    It's probably just another Americanism creeping in - roommate = housemate/flatmate in the US


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    #7
    dory
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    CinammonGirl wrote: »
    It's probably just another Americanism creeping in - roommate = housemate/flatmate in the US

    This. Also Americans share rooms a lot in college. So they say roommate, and then Irish people start using it. :rolleyes:


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    #8
    gosuckonalemon
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 730 ✭✭✭gosuckonalemon


    CinammonGirl wrote: »
    It's probably just another Americanism creeping in - roommate = housemate/flatmate in the US
    dory wrote: »
    This. Also Americans share rooms a lot in college. So they say roommate, and then Irish people start using it. :rolleyes:


    No, it's more to do with the fact that some people are stupid and don't understand the difference.

    I don't know anybody who would be stupid enough to call their house/flatmates their room mates.


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    #9
    JuliusCaesar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,882 ✭✭✭JuliusCaesar


    CinammonGirl wrote: »
    It's probably just another Americanism creeping in - roommate = housemate/flatmate in the US

    yes.... but see other replies.

    I suppose the question arose for me as there are so many threads here mentioning "roommates" - even in the title!! :eek:





    (Also, we have that wonderful word 'flatmate' - Americans don't have flats, they have apartments, but 'apartmentmate' is a bit of a mouthful. Let's hear it for the flatmate! Yay!)


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