A weird phrase I only ever see on Mumsnet.

[Pinksalamanda]

I'm really curious if anyone else has noticed this.

I keep seeing, only on Mumsnet, people using the phrase "stays" instead of "lives".

For example on a currently active post, the OP says "he stays in a city near by". And I see this a lot.

In all the scenarios I have seen it, they are definitely not talking about a temporary situation, holiday, etc.

I don't know if it's right or wrong (and don't massively care), but I've just noticed it increasingly being used on here recently and I wonder if anyone else has?

I think it might be a bit of an Americanism, but I don't see it being used elsewhere.

I might be wrong but I think this is used in Scotland (or some parts of Scotland)

Many years ago I had Scottish flatmates who used "stay" meaning living somewhere.

So maybe the people you've seen using it like that are Scottish?

Like so many things that people are convinced is wrong/don't exist on MN, it's regional.

Yes this, although i use live if im on mumsnet, but in real life I will say. "Where do you stay"

Americans maybe use it, their English does come from.our English so maybe stay, stuck 🤔

South Africans use it like that too. It's different dialects OP

Yes, it’s a Scottish expression, there are lots of us on MN.

Oh is it! I had no idea it was a common Scottish expression. Apologies if I've inadvertently offended any Scotts.

I'd never really noticed it before then suddenly lots in the past few weeks.

I thought it was an Americanism because I spend too much of my free time watch shite American reality shows where they say things like that and "we know each other since kids". Other little phrases that stick out to me.

Edit to add, that might explain why I don't see it being used in other parts of my life. I live about as far away as one can live from in the UK, from Scotland.

It definitely is, I wouldn’t use the word live. I’d say I stay near Glasgow.

Lots of things MNers consider “American” are actually originally Scottish or Irish e.g. Halloween

Yes, definitely a Scottish thing. I've lived up here for many years and I still cling on to saying "live", though!

I’m an ascot living in England for 40 years . Yes ‘stay’ as in ‘Where do you stay?’ Is ‘Where do you live?’ But my Yorkshire spouse also uses that phrasing .Also heard Liverpudlian and Mancunian use of it too .

A Scot …. Not an Ascot !

It’s Scottish. I used to say it all the time when I grew up there

Stays is used in Scotland. I'd never say live.

Yeah i agree, settlers took their traditions with them, Scots and Irish people migrated to America after land clearances and Famine, it is like people forget history while posting about Americanisms .

Lived in Bristol for a couple of years. Heard it there semi-regularly. Threw me the first time though.

'Stays' is what South Africans (and other parts of Southern Africa like Zimbabwe) say too.

It's the same with "Can I get?" which is the normal way of asking for something in Scotland.

Automatically perceived to be American.

Another Scottish one is bide - where do you bide? Rather than live.

@CoffeeBeansGalore Definitely. "Far div ye bide?" 😅

I think this is young person talk as well as maybe regional. My son (22) has picked it up as well as 'talking to' instead of 'going out with'.

So what do Scottish people say if they’re living somewhere temporarily?

For instance, if I was talking to someone about visiting family I’d say ‘I live in London but I’m staying with my aunt for a couple of weeks.’

We just stay everywhere 😂

I knew this, but the one I've literally only ever heard on here is the word 'side' apparently used to mean kitchen work surface or counter ie 'I told him to leave the cake on the side.'

I'm not from the UK, but lived there for a long time, and don't remember ever hearing anyone actually saying this. Is it regional, or simply something I just happened not to hear?