what is SO

[thrity]

probably it's kinda silly for me to ask such question, but i really can't figue out what is the abbreviation 'SO' shortened for? i guess it should be something like 'sexual parter', but no sure.
thanks a lot!

 

[fabricator]

Significant Other

 

[thrity]

SO

Significant Other

thank you very much!
but still confused, what is 'significant other'? it seems they use it when they talk about their hubbies or wives, am i right?

 

[English Lady]

husband, wife, partner of any kind really

 

[ReadyOne]

The (an) other person who is a signficant part of your life.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: SO

thank you very much!
but still confused, what is 'significant other'? it seems they use it when they talk about their hubbies or wives, am i right?

Actually, it's used for anyone EXCEPT a legal spouse.

It means approximately "the person I treat like my spouse who isn't legally my spouse."

 

[ReadyOne]

I use it for my wife, and consider it to be the most inclusive term for another person with whom you are having a relationship.

 

[Capybara]

Actually, it's used for anyone EXCEPT a legal spouse.


I think this is wrong -- its a term used for either a spouse, or an unmarried partner of either sex. It's a term to indicate one's primary partner without reference to whether marriage is involved or not -- in part because same sex marriages are not legal. So of like the use of Ms., to indicate a woman without having to indicate marital status.


From Merriam-Webster on-line:

Main Entry: significant other
Function: noun
: a person who is important to one's well-being; especially : a spouse or one in a similar relationship

 

[Weird Harold]

Actually, it's used for anyone EXCEPT a legal spouse.


I think this is wrong -- its a term used for either a spouse, or an unmarried partner of either sex. ...

From Merriam-Webster on-line:

...

Perhaps I should have added a string of qualifiers about "most commonly used..."

Miriam Webster's definition aside, in common use I seldom see it used when a more specific term, (like spouse, husband, wife, fiance, etc) that has a precise legal meaning applies.

Some people -- like ReadyOne -- do use it for a spouse, but MOST people don't; they use acronyms like DH (Darling Hubby or Dearest Hubby) DW (Darling Wife or Dear Wife) instead of SO.

 

[Capybara]

To some degree, it may be the difference between internet shorthand and more general use that leads to our disagreement. The term SO is an internet shorthand for "significant other" which is in general use.

And no doubt most people refer to their husband as husband more often than significant other, but in my experience it is most often used when it could refer either to a spouse or a girl/boyfriend. Such as an invitation which indicates significant others welcome. Or as the filp side of "Are you single?" "Who's your significant other." It is very useful when the speaker wishes to retain ambiguity about the exact status or the relationship, and even the gender of the other.

 

[Weird Harold]

It is very useful when the speaker wishes to retain ambiguity about the exact status or the relationship, and even the gender of the other.

That's really the main point about the way SO is used -- it's an ambiguous term to fit ambiguous relationships. It's useful online to avoid giving too much personal detail away.

As with any term context is important -- it can mean anything from "I'm commited to another and I'm not interested in you" to "this person is like a part of me I can't live without."

Still, in most cases, I take a reference to SO to mean that there is't a more specific definition available and place the relationship somewhere between "exlusive boyfriend/girlfriend" and "Soulmates for Eternity."

 

[thrity]

SO

i see, thank you all!

the way i see it, the difference between sexual parter and SO is that SO is the most important sexual relationship for the person, when sexual parter could be either serious one or not serious one.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: SO

i see, thank you all!

the way i see it, the difference between sexual parter and SO is that SO is the most important sexual relationship for the person, when sexual parter could be either serious one or not serious one.

That's reasonably close.

I don't think I'd characterize a SO in purely sexual context, though -- at least no more than marriage can be characterized as a purely sexual relationship.

Also SO's tend to be exclusive relationships -- not "most important" but "Only" relationships. That's not always true, but more so than not.