What is this new behaviour all about!?!

[subtleartofnotgivingafuck]

Married 20 years. No major issues and no health issues. Good life, we share chores and tasks equally - happy household normally.

However, I have noticed over the last few months he has developed this insanely annoying habit or not contradicting me, but sort of correcting me. All the damn time. Now the below is going to sound petty because its only one or two – but trust me EVERYTHING I currently say gets a form of correction, adjustment or a clarification added and it getting really old. Some examples

Me: We have four black and white cats Him: Well, three. Cat 4 has a small grey patch.

Me: It rained yesterday Him: Except at 12 o’clock when the sun came out for a bit

Me: The PIL are coming up from Devon on Wednesday? Him: East Devon, midweek

Seems like nothing right? harmless..................... but he is doing all the time! Everything I say he manages to find a small correction, error or problem with and he points it out. This was the one that caused us to have a little bit of barny and he stopped doing for a few days but restarted about a week later.

Me: I filled up the car at lunch
Him: Mmmm it was at 1400, that is a bit later than lunch.
Me: Ok, why did It need the clarification?
Him: What do you mean?
Me: You could have just agreed, left it or said thank you – but instead you chose to point out an error in my timing
Him: It was correct though
Me: Was it necessary or polite?
Him: I don’t see the problem -it was correct
Me: But I am asking do you think it was necessary or polite? Even if it was correct.
Him: You are getting bent out of shape over nothing

argument commences

Anyone come across anything like this before? He has just done it now in a conversation about a bill I'm off to pay and it nearly drove me to scream. Please believe me, its become constant.

Nothing else has changed. He is loving, engaged and still does little things to make me happy. I am so confused. I am also finding its changing how I speak to him to try and avoid the correction I know is coming. Which makes me sound long winded and I still get a correction!

Me: We have four black and white cats, though one has a grey spot.
Him: and a dog

(Yes I am aware of the irony or my username and this little rant - I got the book in a vain attempt to Just ignore this change in behaviour)

Sounds annoying. Is he trying to make out that you're sloppy or exaggerate?

That would drive me absolutely nuts and would make me want to not say a word to him or in his hearing.

Do you have children together?

That would absolutely do my head in. Why on earth does he feel the need to do that I wonder?

You are married to Mr Logic from Viz.

You need to tell him. This drip drip drip is not something you should have to put up with.

Do it back... sorry I'm very chaldish

No children, that didn't happen for us.

I'm the slightly more organised one in the house - so I'm not sloppy and I'm not prone to exaggeration.

I have no clue why he is feeling the need - and because its such a small thing, and on the whole accurate, when I mention it it sounds like I'm being very precious (which irritates me even more!)

He's nitpicking.

Something has made him re-evaluate and now he's suddenly finding you annoying/incorrect/etc and has to point it out.

Are these real examples?

Could you give a few more?

Something has made him re-evaluate and now he's suddenly finding you annoying/incorrect/etc and has to point it out.
sounds like this to me, too ... something, someone ...

so I'm not sloppy and I'm not prone to exaggeration
No, but is that what he's suggesting?

Exactly.

I didn't want to say it, but when my ExDP started playing around, he started doing this.

He went from finding me quite funny and enjoying my anecdotes to rolling his eyes, correcting me or just being rude to me in front of people.

Was all part of him convincing himself the relationship was over but didn't have the balls to say it outright.

My dh does this sometimes, but more in a way he needs to take up a contrary position on everything. I've taken to saying 'ok mary mary...'

As two others have said someone has caught his eye. Nothing may have happened yet but same happened to me as he started proving to himself that we were over.

He went from laid back and pretty chilled out to correcting everything. It was really annoying and threw me for a while.

This absolutely, someone has made him think less of you so he is pointing out what he perceives to be flaws. I would expect there is someone else who he is thinking about in a romantic way...

@emptythelitterbox

The conversations I have posted are real examples. This one is slightly different and was the one that made me realise he was actually doing it purpose:

(He asked for my my opinion on the subject)

Me: I found the added new game dynamic unnecessary
Him: It was exactly the same in the first game, so not unnecessary

(it wasn't in the first one, he made it up to justify the correction)

I'm the slightly more organised one in the house - so I'm not sloppy and I'm not prone to exaggeration

Do you ever point out that you are the more organised one? Is it acknowledged?

Could it be that he is insecure about that, or even annoyed if its been brought up recently... and is trying to show how you arent always 'perfect' ?

As the slightly less tidy person in my relationship I can get insecure about it..

Or is the implication that you always think you are right, but you're not?

Jesus , this would drive me mad too . It's almost a form of gaslighting. I would go full on mute and have a bit of a dig to see what or who is the reason for this.

Could it be him "finally standing up to an opinionated/pushy wife"?

It sounds infuriating. You need to tackle him about it next time it happens. Eg ,"we've got four black and white cats"
Him: "And a dog"
You, "totally irrelevant! I wasn't talking about dogs. And if I need someone to discuss it with I'll get a parrot!"

I mean, there is always the chance he has had someone turn his head, I'm not naïve.

I admit would be rather surprised not because he is above that, you can never be 100 percent sure, but more that he is super shy & very much a home bird. Works in a all male office (It could be a bromance I suppose)

I would say we are even matched in general temper and assertiveness. I wouldn't consider myself pushy (but would a pushy person recognise that? lol)

We, normally, are both laid back. As mentioned previously we share chores pretty evenly, communicate well on the whole and enjoy each other company. I said I was 'slightly' more organised, because I am. That is not a reflection on him, its only a slight difference and one I'm pretty sure he would agree with.

I think you need to spell it out very clearly. " Seeing as you feel the need to correct every single thing I say, I no longer wish to converse with you as its humiliating to be spoken too like a child. Therefore, from now on, my replies will be limited to yes/no and there will be no chit-chat. If you wish for us to return to friendly conversation you can treat me the way you treat everyone else, ie with dignity and kindness."