To hate the word “sniffles”

[Hmmph]

It gives me the rage and is a silly, belittling term for a cold.

People have colds, they are a thing. Sometimes they have mild colds and sometimes bad colds.

Why are mild colds being replaced with the stupid irritating word “sniffles” and bad colds referred to as “flu” when they are colds.

And if you have a runny nose without a cold (ie allergies), you have a runny nose and are sniffing (no “l”) when you should be blowing your nose.

Does sniffles give anyone else the rage?

(no. I looked up sniffle vs sniff and the Internet and it says sniffle relates to runny nose and sniff to smelling things, but no one I know has ever used the word sniffle instead of sniff. It’s always been “stop sniffing and blow your nose!” If you said “stop sniffling” it sounds weird and almost like “stop snivelling” which has a different meaning again.)

End of my rant!

I’ve never heard the word sniff used the way you describe. I’m American so perhaps it’s local but I’ve lived in the UK for a decade and have yet to hear it here.

OMG YES!!! I feel like ripping my ears off when I hear that word, along with snuggles, hot chocolate, I could go on lol

YABU...I love the word, I get allergy related occasionally runny nose qand itching

Sniffles is the perfect word

Hot chocolate? What do you call it then?

YABU - I have no issue with the word “sniffles”. “Snot” on the other hand is a horrible word and I shudder when people say it. Eurgh.

Sniffles is a mild cold or else allergy symptoms. YABU

MIL used it CONSTANTLY “I think I’m getting the sniffles”. It was a totally meaningless statement she used on a daily basis.

I don’t have an issue with sniffles, just shows it’s something presenting in a very mild but still annoying way rather than being a full blown cold

YANBU sniffles or other infantile words annoy me eg yummy, tummy. Cute when children say them, adults not so much.

@ChelseaDaggers

Hot chocolate? What do you call it then?

It's mainly when it hits December and you hear people saying "we're going for a hot chocolate", or if someone is looking for an activity to do for Christmas, someone suggests having a hot chocolate, or people saying we're having snuggles and hot chocolate on the sofa. Or people saying how happy they are it's Christmas as they can have a hot chocolate. I always feel like saying, there's hot chocolate in the shops 365 days of the year, hot chocolate can be drank any time of the year. It's just a pet peeve of mine, I shudder when people start foaming at the mouth over a hot chocolate come December.

I've never heard anybody say that about hot chocolate. As you say, it's always available.

Aaaah I get you now @Lipz! Was thinking "how does she order a hot chocolate in a cafe? Mime?
Interpretive dance number ?" .

I shudder when people start foaming at the mouth over a hot chocolate come December.

I get this I think. People getting far to excited about their food and drink, especially when it’s a sweet thing, and / or a mundane item like hot chocolate, and telling you about it / savouring it aloud really annoys me. And I love nice food and drink!

I used to get this when magnums were new(er) and people kept banging on about them. It’s basically a choc ice!

I don’t like the word “sniffles” either, but I should probably point out I have started referring to myself as a “snufflepuff” whenever I get a bit sneezy, so I’m not sure I am actually qualified to give an opinion!

Actually, I want to point out that I only say that to DH... I don’t go around inflicting the word on other people.

I hate these. I also hate "poorly"

@Acrasia

Actually, I want to point out that I only say that to DH... I don’t go around inflicting the word on other people.

Glad to hear it!

I could well imagine people referring to themselves as a snufflepuff in real life. I would find it infuriating!

You are free to use it at home with your DH. I use “cute” words with my DH too. I do not say them to other people.

Snifffles is infantilising and sounds patronising as a result when adults use it as a description.

As yes, poorly is the same thing.

I often use the word to describe a mild cold, that doesn't require time off work. I'd get them maybe once or twice a year,

If I had a bad cold, I'd say I had a bad cold. And I know this ain't popular on MN, I'd go off sick with a bad cold. Hopefully covid might change that attitude once people realise how easily viruses can spread and potentially the damage they can cause.

Fortunately it's not often as I rarely get them these days. The last time was a year back, the first for a couple of years at least.

I 100% agree a bad cold is not flu but OMFG, the judgement when someone says they are ill with a bad cold, let alone phone in sick with one.

No wonder people are tempted to ‘upgrade’ it.

@Lipz I will raise you snuggles, hot chocolate, marshmallows and a cosy blanket

I think "sniffles" is a useful word, and much prefer it to "a mild cold or allergic reaction, the main symptom of which is a runny nose". I suppose we could all start saying "rhinitis" instead.

Yes. I remember a certain teacher at school used to talk about the sniffles in a patronising way.

@ChelseaDaggers

Aaaah I get you now *@Lipz*! Was thinking "how does she order a hot chocolate in a cafe? Mime? Interpretive dance number ?" .

😂😂 That would be funny. Tbh I can't even order one when out, I do prefer coffee, but even asking for one I give myself the rage, I feel like I'm asking for something naughty.

@Lipz I saw "why don't you go out for a posh hot choc" on here once! Horrendous!

[quote WaterOffADucksCrack]@Lipz I saw "why don't you go out for a posh hot choc" on here once! Horrendous![/quote]
OMG what's a posh hot choc 😂😂

I remember when in the USA and I ordered a spicy bloody Mary and it came with a huge skewer and 4 big massive cooked prawns on it, maybe that was a posh bloody Mary.