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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Poorly

162 replies

Everythingisnumbersnow · 04/02/2025 09:48

Aibu to find it really annoying how English people use this word?

Sick. You mean sick. Unwell. Under the weather.

Unless the question is "how did Rangers perform?" and the answer is "lol poorly" it has no place in the English language.

OP posts:
ZookeeperSE · 04/02/2025 11:33

I think it’s mostly in England poorly is used though? Maybe other parts of the UK, I’m not too sure. I’m in Ireland and it isn’t really used. Not used in other English speaking countries like the US either as far as I know

It may be ‘mostly’ used there, not exclusively, but the OP is specifically referring to English people annoying. I’m neither English, nor British, and it is used where I’m from.
And as for the comments regarding people with accents or dialects not being able to pronounce it correctly, pffft.

Anytimeisfine · 04/02/2025 11:30

GoldenLegend · 04/02/2025 11:12

‘Sick’ to mean ‘ill’ is an American usage that was virtually unknown when I was a child but is now common. Why do you find it necessary to criticise the way others use their language?

I don’t think it’s American. I’m quite old and have always used the word sick to describe feeling ill (in Ireland). Poorly isn’t a word typically used here. The word ill isn’t much used either in my experience, much less than sick is anyway.

Ilovecakey · 04/02/2025 11:29

SnapdragonToadflax · 04/02/2025 10:17

It's a perfectly normal word - maybe a bit old fashioned as I mainly think of my nan saying it, but not awful.

Personally I think 'sick' means throwing up. I would say ill or unwell.

Yes I think the same when someone says sick and I hate it as I have emetophobia. Just say you're not well ffs lol

thesugarbumfairy · 04/02/2025 11:28

I don't have an issue with it at all. To me its just another word for ill, unwell, sick, under the weather. I don't care what people use.
When I was young, people would use the phrase 'poorly sick'. As in 'are you feeling poorly sick?' It just regional. Never heard it down here (that was in the north east)

Anytimeisfine · 04/02/2025 11:26

ZookeeperSE · 04/02/2025 10:08

It’s only English people, using the word this way, that annoys you? Weird.
It’s an adverb and an adjective. And has been in use, meaning unwell, since approximately the sixteenth century. Any other old, commonly used words annoy you?

I think it’s mostly in England poorly is used though? Maybe other parts of the UK, I’m not too sure. I’m in Ireland and it isn’t really used. Not used in other English speaking countries like the US either as far as I know.

I did vote YABU OP, because I don’t think it’s helpful to police expressions like this. But I also think all the posters who don’t like ‘sick’ instead are being unreasonable too 😁 In many places, being sick simply means feeling unwell and doesn’t mean you want to vomit. Sick (ie ill or unwell) with a cold is fine to say where I am. All these expressions vary with location. It’s great.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 04/02/2025 11:25

Everythingisnumbersnow · 04/02/2025 10:42

Hahahaha o God

Show quote history

Whatever happened to good old ‘fanny’? To me that was always inoffensive enough - I don’t understand the insistence on ‘V’ words. Especially when, as so often, they’re misused - people saying ‘vagina’ when they mean ‘vulva’.

Conniebygaslight · 04/02/2025 11:15

We say poorly or ill. Sick means actual vomiting in our house. My Aussie husband struggles with this.....but they pronounce maroon marone so he can't talk really 😂

GoldenLegend · 04/02/2025 11:12

‘Sick’ to mean ‘ill’ is an American usage that was virtually unknown when I was a child but is now common. Why do you find it necessary to criticise the way others use their language?

AnnoyingHabits · 04/02/2025 11:05

I have never met somebody who dislikes this word as much as I do! I dislike it as a synonym for unwell or ill when used by an adult. To me it is a word for young kids.

SantaToSSD · 04/02/2025 11:05

Poorly isn't a word I use though I have no objection to others doing so. Personally, the word I can't stand being used instead of ill or unwell is sick. Sick means something specific, not general unwellness, and using it interchangeably with unwell or ill or even poorly is very confusing.

Pilloecat · 04/02/2025 11:05

Lanawashington · 04/02/2025 10:31

A poster on a thread about herpes the other day said that someone had a poorly vulva. That was a new one I've not heard before

’Poorly vulva’ lives in my head rent free, as the kids say. Every so often I’ll remember it and boak!

Hotandbothered222 · 04/02/2025 11:04

MeowCatPleaseMeowBack · 04/02/2025 10:55

It's so infantile. It makes me cringe to see the NHS website and actual doctors referring to "tummies" because they have to cater to the lowest common denominator.

Tummy is better than belly though 🤮

BarbaraHoward · 04/02/2025 11:02

Lovely to see one of these threads about a word used in England rather than Ireland or Scotland for a change. Grin

murraymcgill · 04/02/2025 11:01

Just a thought why is revealing about the word while I'm thinking about football

Original poster
Everythingisnumbersnow · 04/02/2025 11:01

MegTheForgetfulCat · 04/02/2025 11:00

Yabu. Poorly is the (an) opposite of well.

No poorly is, as above, tummy-style baby speak

OP posts:
MegTheForgetfulCat · 04/02/2025 11:00

Yabu. Poorly is the (an) opposite of well.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 04/02/2025 10:59

I'm with the op. It just makes me think of ineffectual dinner ladies at school.

MeowCatPleaseMeowBack · 04/02/2025 10:55

It's so infantile. It makes me cringe to see the NHS website and actual doctors referring to "tummies" because they have to cater to the lowest common denominator.

namechangeGOT · 04/02/2025 10:53

Funny that, because I feel the same about people using the word 'sick' instead of 'poorly'!

I'm sick sounds so very pappy and pathetic to my ears! Poorly doesn't!

GouacheEnthusiast · 04/02/2025 10:51

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

murraymcgill · 04/02/2025 10:47

@Everythingisnumbersnow poorly sometimes I could say a lot worse

BatchCookBabe · 04/02/2025 10:47

I also don't see anything wrong with the word 'hubby.' I say it myself.

I do get amused though when people get soooo wound up by 'hubby,' 'poorly,' and 'mom.' 😂

Like calm down, and chill out! Not everyone uses the same words for things. I expect some words YOU use irritate some people too!

Coloursofthewind2 · 04/02/2025 10:46

I use it to describe children who are unwell but not adults. So I might ask my 8 year old if he's feeling poorly but I'd ask dh if he was feeling unwell. Never really thought about it till now.

BodenCardiganNot · 04/02/2025 10:46

Add 'sobbing' to 'poorly'.

oakleaffy · 04/02/2025 10:46

Sick definitely means vomiting to me.
”Poorly” is like an older person’s term, but absolutely fine to use.