Why do so many people on tv refer to their wife/gf as their 'partner'?

[TimTang]

Where I come from most guys call there girl friend or wife "My Old Lady". I know that's not PC but it's meant more as a joke.

[Jasun]

Some people prefer not to share every detail of their lives, marital status included.

[iancnx]

I swear, somedays strolling through the posts here on TV makes me feel like I am walking with dinosaurs.

A totally pointless thread indeed, sure to attract a troll or flamer at some point...... Yawn.

[simple1]

Slightly better than referring to her as 'my Thai wife, or my TGF'. Never quite understood why an announcement like that needs to be made. Don't think anyone introduces their wives as 'this is my American wife' or 'this is my British wife' or even 'this is my Japanese wife'. Seems rather exclusive to Thailand.

On TV I use the phase "my Thai wife" as it provides context when posting her perspective concerning life in Thailand/sharing her experiences from living overseas. I don't use the phase in social settings. I prefer to use "partner" in social environments as "my wife" can come across as to possessive. As always each to their own...

[chrisinth]

I've been calling mine "Commander in Chief" lately..................

Doesn't matter how much I like to try and fool myself, it is the only title from "She that must be obeyed at all times" that makes sense......

Anyway, must rush, got some ironing needs doing.

[villagefarang]

I like the word partner. It has a nice ring to it and conjures images of equality, trust, loyalty and fidelity, in addition to confidant, companion, friend and lover. Partner, in my hearing, doesn’t lend itself to oppression, ownership or objectification of the opposite sex. Then again it is just a word.

[hotandhumid]

Now I may be wrong here but it was always my assumption that when someone refers to there significant other as there partner is is becasue they are both of the same sex . Dont shoot me if Im wrong

Erh, yea, I think that is my original point. But thanks.

[kriswillems]

I think it's just for privacy reasons. If you tell you about your wife, people know you're male, married and not gay.

If you say "partner", people don't know whether you're male or female, married or not married, straight or gay.

[dao16]

I always thought this was a British thing. In the US, people would probably assume you meant a same sex "partner", but a lot of people from the UK seem to use it referring to their heterosexual partners. mmmmmm

[i claudius]

I call her my wife ,thats what she is ,I am not politically correct and i never use PC terms ,if the PC crowd dont like it ,they can stick it where the sun dont shine ,i got pulled up for calling someone "coloured" it seems you cant say that anymore ,i just thought it was polite ,so stuff em.

[norrona]

Partner makes it sound like a business arrangement.

Many are just that!

[i claudius]

I think it's just for privacy reasons. If you tell you about your wife, people know you're male, married and not gay.

If you say "partner", people don't know whether you're male or female, married or not married, straight or gay.

Well that sorts that out as i do not want anyone to think i am gay,

[ToddWeston]

Nonsense that it's only gays that use the term partner met lots of people who use it......there are even some of us fortunate enough to be married and are able to use the term husband.

[Sheryl]

I've never heard a husband or wife referred to as a a partner.

To my understanding, "partner" means a person to whom you are not legally married but have a serious committed relationship with. The term does not make clear that person's gender and can be used by both gay and straight people. It implies a much more serious relationship than the term girlfriend/boyfriend and AFAIK is used for that reason, to distinguish it as a serious match, but not one that has been legalized.

I have often heard it used by straight people, so definitely not just a gay thing, nor can one assume when someone uses the term that they are referring to a same sex partner. The term is neutral in that regard...at least where I come from.

[JLCrab]

Slightly better than referring to her as 'my Thai wife, or my TGF'. Never quite understood why an announcement like that needs to be made. Don't think anyone introduces their wives as 'this is my American wife' or 'this is my British wife' or even 'this is my Japanese wife'. Seems rather exclusive to Thailand.

I tend to use the term TGF or CLWife (Common Law) in posting on ThaiVisa because, if I am referring to such a female person, I am usually intending to describe some peculiarity or trait that would be unique to Thai women as opposed to women in general for which I have limited experience and insight.

Such as, when I asked her years back (in Thai obviously) why doesn't she learn English, she responded:

-- I'm a Thai girl in Thailand. Why should I have to learn English?

[jaideeguy]

I used to hear it used as a gay reference to 'the other half' of a relationship, but lately I'm hearing it used as a hetero term referring to either a wife or girl friend or maybe a gik. I think people use it to keep us guessing.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Perhaps because its hard for some to call someone half their age , old/young enough to be their daughter ( and many have daughter's same age or even older ) a wife or gf.

here we go, funny how some on here can this this into every thred they go on,

i suppose every girl you have been with has been the same age as you????

jake

Not at all, but rest assured I never been with a girl half my age or even close to age of being young/old enough to be my daughter . The most age difference I ever had was 9 years

You would never catch me out with a woman more than 1/2 my age.

Dating a woman over 26 .......... no way!

Looking forward to the day I can date girls 1/3 my age and still be legal.

[Northpoint]

The term "partner" should only refer to either your Business Partner or your Bridge Partner.

Tell that to the Australian Embassy. When you want to bring your Thai wife back to Oz you will have to use their Sponsorship for a partner form and she will have to fill in an Application for migration to Australia by a partner form.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I have often heard it used by straight people, so definitely not just a gay thing, nor can one assume when someone uses the term that they are referring to a same sex partner. The term is neutral in that regard...at least where I come from.

Used by gays, and women who want to be married but the guy won't.

Never ever used by a straight guy.

[David48]

You would never catch me out with a woman more than 1/2 my age.

Dating a woman over 26 .......... no way!

Looking forward to the day I can date girls 1/3 my age and still be legal.

So currently you are informing us that you age approaches or is that of what a decent tyre pressure should be? (2x26=52 ... oh heck ... add another 2 pounds for good measure ... 54!)

Just asking ...

.

[overherebc]

Slightly better than referring to her as 'my Thai wife, or my TGF'. Never quite understood why an announcement like that needs to be made. Don't think anyone introduces their wives as 'this is my American wife' or 'this is my British wife' or even 'this is my Japanese wife'. Seems rather exclusive to Thailand.

And it sure beats saying "this is the partner I just hired from the bar for two weeks"

[Sheryl]

I have often heard it used by straight people, so definitely not just a gay thing, nor can one assume when someone uses the term that they are referring to a same sex partner. The term is neutral in that regard...at least where I come from.

Used by gays, and women who want to be married but the guy won't.

Never ever used by a straight guy.

I have heard it used by straight men many times. In fact more often by men than by women.

[Hawkman]

I have often heard it used by straight people, so definitely not just a gay thing, nor can one assume when someone uses the term that they are referring to a same sex partner. The term is neutral in that regard...at least where I come from.

Used by gays, and women who want to be married but the guy won't.

Never ever used by a straight guy.

Absolute rubbish. Partner is used and has been used by lots of straight people and media to emphasise the other person's half, where the reference to whether it's a "boy/girlfriend" or "husband/wife" isn't that important to the speaker.

Take the common question used around the world, "How many ***ual partners have you had?" - that doesn't mean how many gay lovers you've had specifically, it means how many lovers.

Maybe "partner" was used in specific terms for gay partners many, many years ago; but certainly not in recent times. Otherwise, maybe it's something that's specific in North America, but not elsewhere.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I have often heard it used by straight people, so definitely not just a gay thing, nor can one assume when someone uses the term that they are referring to a same sex partner. The term is neutral in that regard...at least where I come from.

Used by gays, and women who want to be married but the guy won't.

Never ever used by a straight guy.

Absolute rubbish. Partner is used and has been used by lots of straight people and media to emphasise the other person's half, where the reference to whether it's a "boy/girlfriend" or "husband/wife" isn't that important to the speaker.

Take the common question used around the world, "How many ***ual partners have you had?" - that doesn't mean how many gay lovers you've had specifically, it means how many lovers.

Maybe "partner" was used in specific terms for gay partners many, many years ago; but certainly not in recent times. Otherwise, maybe it's something that's specific in North America, but not elsewhere.

Your examples aren't a straight man talking about his live in female lover and therefore irrelevant to my post.

[chonabot]

The term 'Partner' has been used to describe one's other half ( straight/bi/gay) for at least 10 years.

People who think it's used for gay relations exclusively probably think that all Mardi Gras Carnivals are just for gays as well

I prefer the term 'wife' but don't have issues with the P word.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The term 'Partner' has been used to describe one's other half ( straight/bi/gay) for at least 10 years.

People who think it's used for gay relations exclusively probably think that all Mardi Gras Carnivals are just for gays as well

I prefer the term 'wife' but don't have issues with the P word.

How many times, previously in a conversation, have you referred you your wife using the word 'partner'?

I would suggest never. Even though you have no problems with the term.

[chonabot]

The term 'Partner' has been used to describe one's other half ( straight/bi/gay) for at least 10 years.

People who think it's used for gay relations exclusively probably think that all Mardi Gras Carnivals are just for gays as well

I prefer the term 'wife' but don't have issues with the P word.

How many times, previously in a conversation, have you referred you your wife using the word 'partner'?

I would suggest never. Even though you have no problems with the term.

I have a few times, but usually in interviews and to people that I do not know socially- at this point they do not need to know if I am married or not.

It is also an unintrusive term when you meet other couples.

'What's your partner's name?' Is better than asking if they are married or not whilst still being friendly enough.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The term 'Partner' has been used to describe one's other half ( straight/bi/gay) for at least 10 years.

People who think it's used for gay relations exclusively probably think that all Mardi Gras Carnivals are just for gays as well

I prefer the term 'wife' but don't have issues with the P word.

How many times, previously in a conversation, have you referred you your wife using the word 'partner'?

I would suggest never. Even though you have no problems with the term.

I have a few times, but usually in interviews and to people that I do not know socially.

It is an unintrusive term when you meet other couples.

'What's your partner's name?' Is better than asking if they are married or not whilst still being friendly enough.

I wasn't talking about questioning other couples or interviewing people.

But YOU (as a heterosexual male) speaking about YOUR (female) wife.

And isn't it interesting how you keep trying to change the focus of the discussion.

[chonabot]

The term 'Partner' has been used to describe one's other half ( straight/bi/gay) for at least 10 years.

People who think it's used for gay relations exclusively probably think that all Mardi Gras Carnivals are just for gays as well

I prefer the term 'wife' but don't have issues with the P word.

How many times, previously in a conversation, have you referred you your wife using the word 'partner'?

I would suggest never. Even though you have no problems with the term.

I have a few times, but usually in interviews and to people that I do not know socially.

It is an unintrusive term when you meet other couples.

'What's your partner's name?' Is better than asking if they are married or not whilst still being friendly enough.

I wasn't talking about questioning other couples or interviewing people.

But YOU (as a heterosexual male) speaking about YOUR (female) wife.

And isn't it interesting how you keep trying to change the focus of the discussion.

My first example was referring to my use of the word when being interviewed.

A common question that I am asked in my interviews is 'what does your partner do?'

And my reply is usually ' My partner likes to pick holes in other people's discussions on TV...she is rather sad in that respect'

As this was my only reply to you, how can my style/content be perceived as 'you keep trying to change the focus'?

When someone replies and adds another angle, it is usually to keep the conversation fresh and to allow other perspectives to be introduced.

However, I'm glad you find my perfectly logical reasoning to be 'interesting' - I write for a living and take that as a big compliment

[Neeranam]

Partner makes it sound like a business arrangement.

90% of the Thai/farang relationships, including marriages, are exactly that.