"Other Half"

dark crystal

Baby Jane wrote: »

Matter of opinion on how "partner" sounds I suppose. I think it sounds grand. Does exactly what it says on the tin.

That sounds very business like to me.

I've decided from now on, I'll just refer to him as my baby daddy.

Tarzana2

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

I like, "me fella" as boyfriend sounds ridiculous for a grown man of 45.

I'll still say "me fella" when my tits are my insoles. So, in about five years or so.

Tarzana2

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

OP is not bitter for having the audacity to have an opinion as a single person . The idea that all single people are bitter for simply having an opinion on aspects of relationships is stupid - people who come out with that ****e come off really snidey imo and I'd rather be bitter than a snide (well, I wouldn't want to be either but you get my point).

Especially when the comments about "all the bitterness" come in the third post of the thread.

And it's not like everyone saying they're not keen on it is single, I'm in a relationship and am having a good ol' bitch about it. :pac:

BrowmThomas

Thanks Tarzana2, I didn't use it when I was in a long term relationship either!

rubadub

BrowmThomas wrote: »

Anybody else HATE it?? I think it is a bit desperate if I'm totally honest. We are all individuals, I don't get why someone feels the need to use it.
Recently single (my choice) but if I had been with him for 30 years, I would never, ever refer to him as my "other half"!

So what did you "feel the need" to call "him"? maybe some people will consider it desperate too.

In the media they might want to avoid calling them boyfriend or girlfriend as some can take offence at that.

Tarzana2

I say boyfriend or me fella.

Me fella says girlfriend or the burd.

Burd and fella are our light-hearted monikers. :pac:

BrowmThomas

rubadub wrote: »

So what did you "feel the need" to call "him"? maybe some people will consider it desperate too.

In the media they might want to avoid calling them boyfriend or girlfriend as some can take offence at that.

Guy I'm not living with is a boyfriend, guy I lived with was my partner and if I was to marry, he would be my husband.

TheBeardedLady

I'm also quite partial to my "Mr Luvaman" (shabba!) or "Ma Latin-luva" if I'm feeling particularly frisky.

TheBeardedLady

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Especially when the comments about "all the bitterness" come in the third post of the thread.

And it's not like everyone saying they're not keen on it is single, I'm in a relationship and am having a good ol' bitch about it. :pac:

No it's fine for you to comment, you see. You can't POSSIBLY be bitter and be in a relationship. No sir.

Zippie84

Made similar comments on my feelings on it a while back on the 'How often do you fight with your other half?' thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=94344979

galljga1

I am single and have just realised I must be bitter. When I hear people referring to their wife, girlfriend, bird, burd, mot etc it makes me angry but when I hear OH, I just get soooooo bitter.

Zippie84

galljga1 wrote: »

I am single and have just realised I must be bitter. When I hear people referring to their wife, girlfriend, bird, burd, mot etc it makes me angry but when I hear OH, I just get soooooo bitter.

Oh you bitter thing you.... tut tut.

The King of Moo

I generally don't like most light-hearted terms we use for partners in Ireland, but it depends on the reasoning behind it.

If someone's in a long-term relationship, middle-aged, but not married, then I can see how "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" might feel strange, but I personally don't see anything wrong with "partner."

It's when people say "the missus" or "me fella" or "me bird" or other impersonal terms as though they're embarrassed to admit they're in an adult relationship involving intimacy between them and another human being.
Not that everyone who uses those terms does so out of embarrassment, but it's often clear from people's body language and voice that that's why they do it.

rubadub

BrowmThomas wrote: »

Guy I'm not living with is a boyfriend, guy I lived with was my partner and if I was to marry

I have heard people think boyfriend was offensive or at least inappropriate, and "partner" has always sounded odd to me. A girl in work says partner and people presumed she was a lesbian, and saying "why is she not saying boyfriend?". I think partner sounds odd to me because of business connotations.

"other half" I always considered light hearted comment, certainly I never thought people using it were desperate.

BrowmThomas

Ok so I finished with the guy as I knew it was not going to work long term and I know he wants to settle, marry and have kids, so by letting him go find that girl and remaining on good terms with him (and also get on fine with ex partner of 5 years)....that makes me....bitter???
Guess some of us have different understanding of the meaning of the word.

harry Bailey esq

Baby Jane wrote: »

Not me. The "bitter" thing here (not necessarily in other cases) seems a rather mean-spirited way of shutting down opinion.

I dont think eternal was trying to shoot down opinion.I'd say she was just having a laugh,in keeping with the spirit of things around here.But there is some validity to her comment,many women do get a bit snappy when they they go without the bratwurst for extended periods of time.
Op,i wasnt making a personal attack on you.Its not something i do,ever.I'm on boards years and ive never received so much as a single infraction,or warning for personal abuse,and ah mods deal with personal attacks with a heavy hand.If you re read the post you will see that I myself am guilty of acting the bollix. I mean you didnt really believe that im a crystal meth aficionado did you??
I still think it's a very trivial thing to get wound up over, my opinion.Your entitled to yours also of course.

Trebor176

I've also heard "significant other." There's so many ways of addressing one's other half (that being one), mot, bird/burd, OH, gf, bf (I'd tend to use abbreviations mostly online), the missus, etc. I've heard terms such as "himself" and "the mister" used by a couple of girls I know. It's just their way, and I've never encountered any other females using these terms.

Baby Jane

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

But there is some validity to her comment,many women do get a bit snappy when they they go without the bratwurst for extended periods of time.

Sexual frustration isn't confined to women. I know you know this, but just sayin...
Don't know if it applies to the person who started the thread though - recent break-up I think (although I know that doesn't necessary mean recent sex!)

Yeh I don't understand "other half" causing that much annoyance - but as I said, lots of phrases annoy people, so it's just one of those things I guess for the thread-starter.

It's just a bit mean to rub salt in the wound of someone who has gone through a break-up and to take a pot-shot at them when it might not even be true. I don't think by the comments that there was light-hearted slagging intended (although I could be wrong), I think it looks more like just pouncing at the opportunity to call her bitter (some people seem to love doing this).

gazzamc

Baby Jane wrote: »

Sexual frustration isn't confined to women. I know you know this, but just sayin...
Don't know if it applies to the person who started the thread though - recent break-up I think (although I know that doesn't necessary mean recent sex!)

Yeh I don't understand "other half" causing that much annoyance - but as I said, lots of phrases annoy people, so it's just one of those things I guess for the thread-starter.

It's just a bit mean to rub salt in the wound of someone who has gone through a break-up and to take a pot-shot at them when it might not even be true. I don't think by the comments that there was light-hearted slagging intended (although I could be wrong), I think it looks more like just pouncing at the opportunity to call her bitter (some people seem to love doing this).

It's After Hours always expect the worse when posting a thread here.

galljga1

Right, gotta go, enough time wasted on boards when I could have spent that time honoring Bahá'u'lláh.
When I come back, I hope someone will have started a thread on bitterness because it is obvious a lot of us need a good seeing to.
Maybe we can get form a club to alleviate this condition. I can be chairman of the Kildare branch.

Until then.

TheBeardedLady

The King of Moo wrote: »

I generally don't like most light-hearted terms we use for partners in Ireland, but it depends on the reasoning behind it.

If someone's in a long-term relationship, middle-aged, but not married, then I can see how "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" might feel strange, but I personally don't see anything wrong with "partner."

It's when people say "the missus" or "me fella" or "me bird" or other impersonal terms as though they're embarrassed to admit they're in an adult relationship involving intimacy between them and another human being.
Not that everyone who uses those terms does so out of embarrassment, but it's often clear from people's body language and voice that that's why they do it.

"Me fella" is strictly for the internet in an attempt to come off less irritating while probably coming off more irritating in the process. It's a bit of a minefield on the net as this thread hightlights. I just refer to him by his name and introduce him as my boyfriend in real life

josip

"The wife" suffices.

SoftMicro

"The ball and chain"

bodhrandude

Typical feckin thread, don't you have consideration for single people here, they are excluded from this conversation, I do have others halves though, my sisters and brothers, they are part of me like.

fergus1001

I find "bae" a hell of alot more offensive people calling people their "before anyone else" knowing perfectly well they got spit roasted by half the town before starting to go "ou wi der 1 n nly"

Wibbs

Yea the other half is a bit sad aright. "The boy" does my head in too. All too common these days. If a bloke was to say 'the girl" when referring to his partner there'd likely be raised eyebrows. DA for Darling Husband makes me want to a) retch and b) reach down the phonelines and rip out their throat.

harry Bailey esq

Baby Jane wrote: »

Sexual frustration isn't confined to women. I know you know this, but just sayin...
Don't know if it applies to the person who started the thread though - recent break-up I think (although I know that doesn't necessary mean recent sex!)

Yeh I don't understand "other half" causing that much annoyance - but as I said, lots of phrases annoy people, so it's just one of those things I guess for the thread-starter.

It's just a bit mean to rub salt in the wound of someone who has gone through a break-up and to take a pot-shot at them when it might not even be true. I don't think by the comments that there was light-hearted slagging intended (although I could be wrong), I think it looks more like just pouncing at the opportunity to call her bitter (some people seem to love doing this).

I dont believe eternals post was made with any malice, just a light hearted, humorously worded quip.Thing is,if you start a new thread on this particular forum,regardless of the subject matter,you need to have a thick skin.People will always make wisecracks, sometimes some clown will say something nasty but they usually get a bollocking or a ban pretty sharpish.As regards my post 99% of it was discussing the merits of crystal meth versus ecstasy (I don't use either substance btw,for me its either cocaine and hookers or its nothing at all) obvious p1ss taking and the op only got a fleeting mention at the end when I suggested that they might be pulling our leg.That hardly constitutes personal abuse does it?

BrowmThomas

Middle aged at 35 ish????
So I am (nearly) middle aged and bitter and I'd I date another guy I can't call him my boyfriend :-O
If only I liked cats!!!
Guess I'm screwed so!

harry Bailey esq

Beekeeper Bill wrote: »

Once you hit middle age (ie 35 ish ) it becomes weird to refer to your boyfriend/girlfriend. Other half is a simple solution.

You regard 35 is middle aged?l would have said 40+.I might or might not start a thread about it.I'm almost 34 so a little piece of me died when you said 35,way to go bill

fergus1001

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

You regard 35 is middle aged?l would have said 40+.I might or might not start a thread about it.I'm almost 34 so a little piece of me died when you said 35,way to go bill

What's half the average life expectancy for ireland there lies your answer

Your can say your 80 and middle aged but it don't mean **** time waits for no man or woman

eternal

Baby Jane wrote: »

Not me. The "bitter" thing here (not necessarily in other cases) seems a rather mean-spirited way of shutting down opinion.

Lighten up. I wasn't even talking about the OP moreso about me personally.

Zippie84

eternal wrote: »

Lighten up. I wasn't even talking about the OP moreso about me personally.

The post that you quoted / responded to, was a response to someone called harry Bailey esq, not a post of yours though?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=94595325

endacl

I don't have an 'other half'. I have a bonus 60% (by weight*).


*Percentage may rise or fall. Does not constitute a legally binding proportion.

Baby Jane

I'd imagine the person who refers to 35 as middle-aged, is very young, which is fair enough.

Wibbs wrote: »

Yea the other half is a bit sad aright. "The boy" does my head in too. All too common these days. If a bloke was to say 'the girl" when referring to his partner there'd likely be raised eyebrows.

Yeah, what IS this fashion of referring to a grown man as a boy, which seems to have crept into Irish slang in relatively recent years? (As in, people my age didn't use the term in our teens/early 20s).
I know the term "girl" is used about women sometimes, but that's more the equivalent of "lad" or "guy".
"Boy" just makes me think of, literally, a young boy, and nobody else.

Although Cork, where "boy" can be used to address a 90-year-old man, is obviously the glaring exception to all of the above.

eternal

Zippie84 wrote: »

The post that you quoted / responded to, was a response to someone called harry Bailey esq, not a post of yours though?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=94595325

Which was in reply to my post. Jesus I can't keep up.

Zippie84

Beekeeper Bill wrote: »

I'm 30, I generally regard the first third of life as young, the second third as middle aged and the final third old aged. So you could argue I'm already middle aged.

But wouldn't 'middle' actually signify around the middle of your life?

and if you're going with your life being in thirds, and sounding like you're working on a basis of living to 90, you've a good 15 years to go yet to get to the middle of your life.

Baby Jane

Beekeeper Bill wrote: »

I'm 30, I generally regard the first third of life as young, the second third as middle aged and the final third old aged. So you could argue I'm already middle aged.

Fair enough. I don't regard 35 as young, but at the same time, I don't regard it old enough to be middle-aged. That's due to my notion of middle age being based more on cultural factors (pipe and slippers, cardigan etc) rather than chronology!

Golaco

Have never really thought about it before but I'd always have said middle aged was from maybe 50ish upwards. Which means I expect to live to over 100. Might be a small bit ambitious!

Zippie84

Golaco wrote: »

Have never really thought about it before but I'd always have said middle aged was from maybe 50ish upwards. Which means I expect to live to over 100. Might be a small bit ambitious!

Possibly a small bit ambitious, yes, and good luck to you - def not something I'd want to do

Zippie84

Beekeeper Bill wrote: »

If you are dividing a 90 year life in three (youth, middle age, old age) then the middle third starts at 30.

yes, except I was responding to someone who explained that, and I responded with a different suggestion.

Baby Jane

Beekeeper Bill wrote: »

I think it's a cultural phenomenon where people just want to pretend they are young forever, as if there is something wrong with being middle aged or old.

There's the other extreme too of people saying/acting as if they're getting old when they're 20.

Zippie84

Baby Jane wrote: »

There's the other extreme too of people saying/acting as if they're getting old when they're 20.

Or 10

(It happens unfortunately.)

Zippie84

eternal wrote: »

Which was in reply to my post. Jesus I can't keep up.

Cool, I missed that.

harry Bailey esq

fergus1001 wrote: »

What's half the average life expectancy for ireland there lies your answer

Your can say your 80 and middle aged but it don't mean **** time waits for no man or woman

I think the average is 78 for men and 82 for women so middle age would be 39 and 41 respectively

Lia_lia

I don't mind OH too much, I use it the odd time. I don't know what else to say really. I feel a bit too old to be saying boyfriend.

It's the DD, DS etc that does my head in!

Zippie84

Lia_lia wrote: »

I don't mind OH too much, I use it the odd time. It's the DD, DS etc that does my head in!

thankfully never came across it once anywhere except on this thread. do people actually say these things in conversations with others?

Baby Jane

Zippie84 wrote: »

thankfully never came across it once anywhere except on this thread. do people actually say these things in conversations with others?

It's a "mums" discussion forums thing - to prefix son, daughter, husband, partner with "Darling" (because that's how we all talk naturally) and then abbreviate it.

Zippie84

Baby Jane wrote: »

It's a "mums" discussion forums thing - to prefix son, daughter, husband, partner with "Darling" (because that's how we all talk naturally) and then abbreviate it.

Cool, so still online acronyms, as opposed to things people say as such.

While I'm unlikely to ever say it, at least darling daughter (if I had one) would be more factually accurate than other half

galljga1

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

I think the average is 78 for men and 82 for women so middle age would be 39 and 41 respectively

Sorry Harry and others, Middle age is not a point in time, it is a period of time.
If the starting point is 39, you are living to 117. Personally, i have just entered middle age, hence i will live to 144.

SparkySpitfire

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Because it takes probably less than a second more to type the longer version? I've heard tonnes of people use 'other half' in real life.

To satisfy you is it?

People can type the way they like.

Well you must be moving in circles completely different to mine!