to have thought it was Dear not Darling?

[MsJupiterJones]

I've been on MN a couple of years and always thought it was Dear Husband, Dear Son etc. I always read other people's posts as Dear SIL, Dear Mother and it even creeps into real life occasionally as I think or refer to people in my life as Dear. However recently I've seen a few references to it meaning Darling Husband, Son etc.

Frankly Darling is a bit effusive for me so I'd quite like to know what you all read it as before I go referring to my DH or DS in future.

AIBU or even just wrong?

I'd hardly call it a petty rebellion. I don't abbreviate any other words, so I don't abbreviate husband/partner/daughter/whatever either.

I read Dear on Mumsnet but use darling in real life. How strange.

I wrote dd about a service users daughter yesterday at work - oops!

Daaaahlink. In Russian accent.

I wish we could just write them out in full. (I know we can if we want to, but it looks odd if you don't follow the norm)

this I feel weird typing it and sometimes I dont ,

I always think of EWCM as Cervical Mucus that makes you go "Ewwww!"

Icelolly that's how my DH (Russian as it happens) says it

Personally, I treat it as Devilish and Dratted so have no problems!

Darling here and I do use it in rl.

I also thought it was stupid bastard ex husband! I prefer that, though it did makeItsyonis post a little confusing as surely he can be a bastard address or no address.

Me too Balloon. And yes HaveTea, there are some very interesting conversations on MN about it!

I do, mrsJ. Can't remember the last time I did the ds, dh thing.

[rebel without a clue]

It took me ages to get used to reading STBX as 'soon to be ex', and quite often it changes back to Stupid Twatty Bastard ex on certain threads.

*EWCM is Egg White Cervical Mucus isn't it?

I say them out loud in my head so DD is dee-dee and DS is dee-ess. I also say MIL as "mill", BIL as "bill" and SIL as "sill" so when people add a 'd' I say dee mill, de bill, de sill ...*

I do this! And if I'm reading out loud to dh I say "dee dee" not daughter. Oh dear.

Also for me the D is for dear, I only use the darling prefix when referring to my husband in a sarcastic manner.