How do you refer to your 'significant other'?

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Cartus

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I'm curious, how do you refer to your husband, wife or partner? There seem to to be more terms available for female partners - 'the missus', 'the wife' are used as is 'hubby' but less often I guess. There are gender neutral terms, 'other or better half' for example

The one that perplexes me the most though is 'She who must be obeyed'. There seem to be a portion of the male population who seem to regard their own subjugation to their wife as something as a 'badge of honour'. I remember one correspondent on another forum stating that should he have spent £100ish on a photographic accessory his wife would have 'made him sleep in the car' even though he's the main breadwinner and could obviously afford such a sum. I'm genuinely puzzled by this which possibly explains why I'm divorced! Discuss please.
 
If im introducing my Wife to someone, ill introduce her as 'Tina'...because thats her name :D If im im talking about her on an internet forum, ill refer to her as 'My Wife'. I have referred to her in the past as SWMBO, but it was only really in a jokey way, as that isnt really what our relationship is like. I suspect that is the same for a lot of people I see call their Wife SWMBO.

If im thinking of large purchases, I do sometimes run the idea past her though, but mainly because I try to be respectful and responsible. We have an 18 month old to take into account also.
 
Cartus said:
I'm curious, how do you refer to your husband, wife or partner? There seem to to be more terms available for female partners - 'the missus', 'the wife' are used as is 'hubby' but less often I guess. There are gender neutral terms, 'other or better half' for example

The one that perplexes me the most though is 'She who must be obeyed'. There seem to be a portion of the male population who seem to regard their own subjugation to their wife as something as a 'badge of honour'. I remember one correspondent on another forum stating that should he have spent £100ish on a photographic accessory his wife would have 'made him sleep in the car' even though he's the main breadwinner and could obviously afford such a sum. I'm genuinely puzzled by this which possibly explains why I'm divorced! Discuss please.
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Don't get me started, it is a subject that has bothered me for such a long time with no resolution and is specific to 'co-habiting' couples like me and him. Husband or wife is fine as a description, but when you aren't married? Partner, significant other, both sound way too business like and clinical. We are in our middle age, boyfriend/girlfriend just sounds ridiculous at our age. Still have not come up with an appropriate, affectionate without being too twee word to use when mentioning him. :( I can of course think of many derogatory terms... :lol: [as can he for me]

As to the HTMBO/STMBO etc, I think most are tongue in cheek and there is an expectation between couples to have some financial respect for each other and not go mad without some kind of discussion, but small amounts are usually acceptable unless you really are feeling the pinch financially. Serious question though, people are very good at disguising their financial circumstances online [both if really skint and really flush and anything in between, it is no one else's business], you can't be sure the chap you mentioned could 'obviously' afford the accessory unless you are their bank manager, so unfair to judge.
 
SWMBO is often (but not always) tongue in cheek, though it's not one I would normally use.

Formally, to strangers, I would call her my wife. Somewhere like TP I'll call her Mrs. Mariner, because that's the general convention. In company that knew us then she'd either be 'my beloved', one of my nick-names for her or called by her first name.

There seem to be some couples to whom mutual abuse is considered affectionate. This makes no sense to me, and I think it likely to end in tears at some stage, but that's how they work things out. I'd put 'sleeping in the car' in this category, although some 'partnerships' do seem to be heavily dominated by one side or the other.
 
Relationships work for all sorts of reasons. (and also fail for all sorts of reasons, the main one IMHO though s loss of trust) Most of what the wife/missus/other half etc call each other at home, most people would find quite insulting (without knowing the context) When out with other people we still "have a go" at each other, but that is just us.

Most people don't get our relationship, but can see that it works.
 
Her indoors .............. :exit:
 
Cartus said:
I'm curious, how do you refer to your husband, wife or partner? There seem to to be more terms available for female partners - 'the missus', 'the wife' are used as is 'hubby' but less often I guess. There are gender neutral terms, 'other or better half' for example

The one that perplexes me the most though is 'She who must be obeyed'. There seem to be a portion of the male population who seem to regard their own subjugation to their wife as something as a 'badge of honour'. I remember one correspondent on another forum stating that should he have spent £100ish on a photographic accessory his wife would have 'made him sleep in the car' even though he's the main breadwinner and could obviously afford such a sum. I'm genuinely puzzled by this which possibly explains why I'm divorced! Discuss please.
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"She who must be obeyed" was paraphrased from the 70s / 80s courtroom TV drama 'Rumpole of the Bailey, conversely "Significant Other' was from Only Fools and Horses. People just latch on to TV shows and use whatever suits them.
 
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When introducing her to new people, "My wife, Name.", on here, usually Mrs Nod (although occasionally SWMBO). Easier now we're married - before, as Yv said, "my girlfriend" sounded a bit odd since we'd been partners for about 23 years before we got married and "my partner" sounds more like a business relationship than a personal one. Since all her qualification certificates are in her maiden name (as well as all her bank stuff etc.), she still goes by that, albeit as Mrs rather than Miss (and certainly not Ms!)
 
DorsetDude said:
Face ache.
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That's the term I/we always used for my ex :D

I call my wife `Moneyboss` :LOL: (in real life as well as on'tinternet)

I say `wife`, but we aren't actually married (we've only lived together for 32 years :eek: ) but I still call her my wife, or by her name if introducing her to someone. :cool:
 
Yv said:
Don't get me started, it is a subject that has bothered me for such a long time with no resolution and is specific to 'co-habiting' couples like me and him. Husband or wife is fine as a description, but when you aren't married? Partner, significant other, both sound way too business like and clinical. We are in our middle age, boyfriend/girlfriend just sounds ridiculous at our age. Still have not come up with an appropriate, affectionate without being too twee word to use when mentioning him. :( I can of course think of many derogatory terms... :LOL: [as can he for me]

As to the HTMBO/STMBO etc, I think most are tongue in cheek and there is an expectation between couples to have some financial respect for each other and not go mad without some kind of discussion, but small amounts are usually acceptable unless you really are feeling the pinch financially. Serious question though, people are very good at disguising their financial circumstances online [both if really skint and really flush and anything in between, it is no one else's business], you can't be sure the chap you mentioned could 'obviously' afford the accessory unless you are their bank manager, so unfair to judge.
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I think that "the other half" can cover a whole range of relationships and it's certainly more appropriate for the more mature couple, which includes me and her. ;)
 
Imaginary
 
Peter B said:
I think that "the other half" can cover a whole range of relationships and it's certainly more appropriate for the more mature couple, which includes me and her. ;)
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hmm, yes, that is generally my fall back one, but never feels satisfactory somehow.
 
I can just imagine the conversation..."Hi, im Yv and this is my...er...well this is my responsibility...sorry about that" :D
 
Better than her liability! ;)
 
Not a problem I have thankfully :D:)
 
Was always the wife to other people, only once can I remember her calling me by my real name and I only called her by hers twice, it felt really weird introducing her to other people by it. Yes that sounds weird, I know.
 
Husband or partner.
Not a huge fan of 'partner' because of the business connotations, but husband isn't really accurate either since we're technically co-habiting not actually married.
Common-Law husband is too much of a mouthful though and I'm too old for a boyfriend so husband works fine.
It's probably the best description of what our relationship actually is and most people assume that we're married anyway.
 
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I generally call my wife sweetie if i'm talking to her , talking about her i may refer to her as ' my sweetipie' , by her name or as mrs moose depending on the situation and context - if i use swimbo its in a joking sense only.

Sarah - the phrase you are looking for is 'lover'
 
Pesky swear filter prevents me telling you :lol:
 
just 'The Girlfriend', even though I still cringe at that... after 5 years. There's no normal way to refer to 'them'! :eek:

I suppose it's better than what we put in texts, although never in person... 'smelly' :puke:

"Morning smelly"
"Sorry smelly"
"How did it go smelly?"

Why am I admitting this?
:exit:
 
I always introduce her as the 'Old Horse'. She doesnt mind (I hope!)
 
My better half, because she is

But thats on the internet. Alone its different and is unlikely to get past the swear filter, in person, when introducing to others, its Cathy
 
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Hey you. Fat c*** or simple hoy. She'll answer to anything if I throw something at her.o_O
 
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Simply by her name, or when it is not relevant or people don't know her then it is simply my wife.

Definitely don't ask for permission, although if it is a larger sum we may discuss.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Was always the wife to other people, only once can I remember her calling me by my real name and I only called her by hers twice, it felt really weird introducing her to other people by it. Yes that sounds weird, I know.
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So since the wedding day/ceremony .....................that's pretty much it? (she's winning by 1 btw :D )
 
Took me a long time to get out of the habit of saying "our peg" which is what most of Preston call there wife/girlfriend but it doesnt travel and confused everyone when I moved.. so like others on here although together 26 yrs and no married its the wife or missus..
 
KIPAX said:
Took me a long time to get out of the habit of saying "our peg" which is what most of Preston call there wife/girlfriend
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That's a bit like the cringe fest what people say around here - "are lass" :banghead:
 
bonking bit :banana::banana:
 
Joshwain said:
That's a bit like the cringe fest what people say around here - "are lass" :banghead:
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Now that one has always confused me. I can never work out if someone is talking about a wife, girlfriend or daughter.
Not too sure how I would introduce my wife to someone, I can't remember the last time I had to.
 
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