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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask what's wrong with 'hunning'?

126 replies

chickencurryfor7 · 23/01/2013 19:32

I?ve used mn for years for advice and information, but only registered properly this Christmas after getting my very own iphone and feeling like I?d be able to contribute regularly without having to sharpen my elbows politely ask to share the family computer. (Sorry - I feel I have to justify my first ever post with this disclaimer, as it seems all de-lurking newbies get accused of being trolls).

Anyway ? really, what?s wrong with hun? It seems to me that it?s only used when someone is trying to be genuinely sympathetic, friendly, reassuring or kind, and what with all the other abbreviations that go on, seems harmless? At least it?s an actual word that?s used in everyday language, unlike most of the other shorthand on here?

I am new, so anxious not to offend or get the shorthand wrong, but does it REALLY matter if someone calls you hun if they?re only trying to be nice?

OP posts:

Sugarice · 23/01/2013 20:10

chicken I don't think the hunning poster came back after the ticking off.

Original poster

chickencurryfor7 · 23/01/2013 20:10

Maybe we could rename this thread 'Ettiquette for Newbies'

OP posts:

Sugarice · 23/01/2013 20:10

Narked

Original poster

chickencurryfor7 · 23/01/2013 20:11

Narked

OP posts:

Stinkyminkymoo · 23/01/2013 20:12

I hate it as it sounds so false.

I hate 'babe' the most though. I often retort that Babe is a pig.

LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance · 23/01/2013 20:12

See I don't mind LOL as a perfectly reasonable abbreviation of laughing out loud. But it should only be used if you actually are IYSWIM

Hun is just overly familiar and a little bit creepily insincere. It's more than just an abbreviation of honey.

LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance · 23/01/2013 20:14

I would never actually say LOL though because it's an abbreviation - and that would be very strange.

Shelby2010 · 23/01/2013 20:15

MrsJay - proper MNetter don't LOL they say PMSL!

Can't stand Hun beacause of the spelling, could cope with Hon but it's a bit cloying either way.

usualsuspect · 23/01/2013 20:21

I don't mind other people using it.I like a bit of familiarity on MN makes for a friendlier place.

LauriesFairyonthetreeeatsCake · 23/01/2013 20:25

Another one who's never heard anyone say it in real life.

Dh 'honeyed' me once, but that's not the same.

CheCazzo · 23/01/2013 20:26

I knew a guy - couple of years ago - proper creepy sex pest with all the young female staff where I worked. The complaints were never-ending. Eventually he got reported to the police and I was shown done of the texts he'd sent these poor girls (and they were only 16 - 18) - in amongst all the skin crawling smut every other word was 'Hun' or 'Hunnie'. For me those words will never associate with anything but gut turning nauseating creepiness.
Oh - and they're dead common!

BrokenBritain · 23/01/2013 20:28

Can I just get something off my chest? Whilst I hate being called Hun, makes me feel like poking the person who said it in the eye, the one I abhor is sweetie...arrrghh just writing it makes my blood pressure rise! I have a friend who says sweetie, and the thing that really grates is....she's YOUNGER than me, only by four years but still, surely sweetie is for old ladies to say to younger people if it has to be said at all. It is NOT for someone in their twenties to call someone in their thirties. I am not a fucking sweetie!
Ahhh...and relax.

PoppyWearer · 23/01/2013 20:31

As the recipient of a "hun" on an earlier thread, for which the hun-perpetrator was reprimanded (by someone else, not me), I really didn't like it. It made my toes curl.

I am a 37 year-old highly-educated woman. I do not need anyone to call me "hun". That is all.

thegreylady · 23/01/2013 20:33

Where I grew up [North East] it was 'pet' or 'petal' and a bit further North it is 'hinny' as in 'why aye hinnie'.
Where I live now it is 'bab' and in yorkshire it is 'duck'
In some areas one can be addressed as 'my lover' or 'lovely'.
It is rather nice really to be able to use a warm welcoming address to strangers.However I have a distant relative my only contact with whom is fb and her posts are littered with huns,bubbas,l'il lady's etc and I cringe honestly send out the snob police-I am guilty as charged, my lovelies.

ClippedPhoenix · 23/01/2013 20:33

I like hen, sweetheart, darling, gorgeous, etc. can do babes or baby sometimes, depends who's saying it.

I don't like any of them being used by someone much younger than me either, it sounds inappropriate.

I can't stand hun at all, ever.

lol is fine as long as its not over used.

PoppyWearer · 23/01/2013 20:34

(Thank you for pointing out the offending "hun", Narked, didn't realise it was you.)

AlwaysWantingMore · 23/01/2013 20:34

Over the last 5 or so years my friends in real life have all started using names like 'hon' 'babe' 'sweetie' etc for each other. I like it, it's just a way of showing endearment to one another, and that we are fond of each other. We are all late 20's - late 30's and professionals. I never really subscribe to the hun-hate on MN. It's a bit try-hard, too cool for school.

usualsuspect · 23/01/2013 20:34

I like being called sweetie, and my lovely and other terms really.I'm likely to call you 'me duck'. I am dreadfully common though.

nkf · 23/01/2013 20:39

Reading this thread made me realise how many words/phrases I hate on MN or maybe it's just on the Internet in general.

Hun though it's by no means the worst offender.
C..t (can't even bear to to type it.)
Twat.
LOL - always always used after something that isn't funny.

And - oh, this one hurts - things like "me and my DH were out and..."

And "toxic" for anything other than poison. And "entitled." And "man-child." And "rip him a new one." And "the far side of fuck." And, "grow a pair, And "man up."

And...and ...and

Fortunately, the slow cooker threads - which is mainly where I hang out - don't tend to use them.

stubbornstains · 23/01/2013 20:41

Ooh, being called "hen" makes me go all warm and melty. This is because I am from as far south in the UK as you can get, and I have only ever been called that by one person who I secretly fancied

WhereYouLeftIt · 23/01/2013 20:43

I dislike the word 'hun', it just strikes me as superficial. It's not a real word, it's not an abbreviation of a real word, it just sounds slovenly and lazy to me. I will not blink at dear, love, lovey, duck, ducks, darling; even honey is acceptable (although makes me think the user has been watching too much US TV). I'm OK with hen, it's nice to see a fellow Scot. But hun?

buggerama · 23/01/2013 20:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Boomerwang · 23/01/2013 20:46

I don't dislike the abbreviations and phrases that are common on MN, but I can't bring myself to use them. I'd feel like I was barging into a clique uninvited. Hence my 'OH' is always 'my boyfriend' (which makes me feel about 15), my 'DD' is always 'my daughter' 'my baby' or 'my kid' and 'pg' is 'pregnant' etc.

MrsKeithRichards · 23/01/2013 20:55

I wandered back onto nethuns today, looking for something on the notice board. I ended up reading a thread about weaning.

I say thread, it was more of an illiterate rant from someone who was sick of being judged for weaning at ten weeks. Cue lots of 'your choice hun' as you can imagine.

Someone waded in and said don't listen to people that use phrases like hun and bubba, they are thick or something like that. Made me giggle.

MrsKeithRichards · 23/01/2013 20:57

Oh and in general, real life talking, I don't mind a bit of hun, doll etc between friends, typed out it seems so fake.

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