Why the use of DH,DD,DS,DC?

[angell84]

Why are they used parrot fashion by every user on mumsnet?

It is ridiculous! Where is any independent thought? Every single post is littered with hundreds of DH's, DS's, DD's and DC's.

Who calls their husband, "dear husband"? It is pretentious for a start. But what really annoys me is why does everyone say the exact same "code" as each other on here. It seems like a teenage thing to do

There is no DMIL on here, just MIL, and how is that harder to type than the full 3 words?

I rarely use them myself, to be fair - trying to get into the habit of it as I’ve been here a while 😂

If I were posting about my long-term antiquated boyfriend's adult son's wife, it really would easier to write DSDiL, although I'm not sure that would be understood. So I might compromise with DP's DiL. It is a bit strange I suppose, but it helps keep things flowing.

I don't notice it any more. It's like learning a foreign language - when you become fluent you don't have to think about translating each word. So I don't read the letters D and H, and think about what they stand for, I just know what and who the combination refers to.

I just get confused when some posters use DS to mean son, and others sister.

^^ this

Yeah it's weird. I just don't use them.

Op has just bogged off then?

Ok OP you continue to type ‘mother in law’ and we’ll type MIL parrot fashion.

No one reads ‘dear’ in ‘DH’, that’s just you taking things too literally. Chillax.

I love using DD and DS etc. It's simple and rather quaint.

However, it can get confusing, DS (dear Son Dear Sister) DF (Dear Father, dear friend) etc.

OP original poster OP - opening post, that is what I do find a bit confusing!

Some people say "SO" which I bloody hate! It means Special One!

It’s not Special One, that sounds Gollum-esque!

I first remember these when I used to moderate the chat forums on AOL and that was about 1994. People have been saying DH, DD etc since then at least.

It was always funny when you used to get those semi-regular mumsnet-bashing articles in the papers “I went on mumsnet and it was a nest of vipers” (do they still get written?), and the “journalist” ALWAYS referenced the DH/DC thing as yet more evidence as to why mumsnet posters were to be ridiculed and scorned, failing to realise how foolish it made the writer look in assuming that they had been made up by mumsnet and that people are really thinking “dear husband” etc as they read/write

It's just internet forum shorthand. Like SWIM (someone who isn't me) or IRL (In real life). It's easier to use shortened versions of things that people say a lot. I don't think anyone really calls their husband "dear husband". Don't be so silly.

I hate it and never use it, especially when DS could mean sister or son, I've seen confusion over that one in a few posts.

Also DS7 - do you have 7 sons or is your son 7?

Still if it means fewer hubbies, little ones and little men, I suppose it's a blessing.

The only one I like is ddog. In fact ddog was known in real life as ddog (real name Ella).
In keeping with lack of originality 30 years ago, we had Mama Puss and Baba Puss. 2 cats. Mum and son lol.

I've seen DFish occasionally. I think that is taking it a bit far!

My mum and aunt used to send long letters to each other in the 1970s, they used MIL then.

I remember seeing DFish, that did make me laugh.

Please note, I said 'laugh', not 'lol', another one that makes me along with hubby, hubs, bubba etc etc, which seem to be creeping in to MN these days.

Give me a DH or a DS any day.

Some people say "SO" which I bloody hate! It means Special One!

Maybe if they are Jose Mourhinio's DW

I think you may have misunderstood the entire internet.

It's very 'high schooler' and believe more people would read/visit mum's net if they didn't have to decipher the code.

Ooh we haven’t had a thread about this in a while-it must be due. 😂

ODFOD

It's very 'high schooler' and believe more people would read/visit mum's net if they didn't have to decipher the code.

Yeah, only 119 million unique users. It's a BACKWATER I tell you.