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Cunning linguists

Girlfriend??

4 replies

placidjoy123 · 23/09/2014 05:44

All of a sudden(?) it seems that quite a few younger female acquaintances have adopted the American habit of referring to female friends as girlfriends

One of them does it deliberately to let everyone know that she "used to live in New York" (for about two months I think it was). So sophisticated.

Do they call male friends "boyfriend"?

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scattercushion · 23/09/2014 12:48

Yes, this annoys me too. And saying movie instead of film.

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iwantgin · 23/09/2014 12:51

Girlfriend to me implies female life partner.

Friend should suffice.

I have family in USA and still can't get my head around it.

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iwantgin · 23/09/2014 12:52

What would a male call his female partner (after the first few dates)? Not girlfriend then?

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placidjoy123 · 23/09/2014 22:46

I guess partner whether male or female is what most of us have become accustomed to when we hear the term boyfriend orgirlfriend. I have no problem with the language evolving. But I just find the adoption of an American affectation (calling a female friend girlfriend rather than simply friend rather strange).

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