tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post116327177000143676..comments2023-09-25T13:41:12.977+01:00Comments on Brave New Words: An Inclusive English TongueB.J. Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07564748493196230467noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-60385743404162434682007-09-08T08:07:00.000+01:002007-09-08T08:07:00.000+01:00Thank you for your comment, Kevin. It is hard to l...Thank you for your comment, Kevin. It is hard to live in another city as your partner, much less on another continent! But at least you have "särbo" to describe your situation!<BR/><BR/>Best wishes,<BR/>BJB.J. Epsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07564748493196230467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-37284368618391689222007-09-07T23:09:00.000+01:002007-09-07T23:09:00.000+01:00my partner and I live on different continents and ...my partner and I live on different continents and have considered the term "särbo" although we do not intend the meaning that we are committed to being apart.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09509789748185798992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-1163462255815851652006-11-13T23:57:00.000+00:002006-11-13T23:57:00.000+00:00Right, "partner" needs to be replaced. It can defi...Right, "partner" needs to be replaced. It can definitely lead to confusion. If someone says, "I run this company with my partner," what is meant? It could be a couple that owns the company, or it could just be two business partners. And sometimes it's awkward to ask for clarification, too.<BR/>I taught English in Sweden for years (living together without being married is much more common in Scandinavia, by the way) and many of my students wanted an English word for "sambo" (or for the related Swedish word "särbo," which refers to partners who don't live together). I usually explained that we didn't have a good word in English, and I offered "partner," "girlfriend/boyfriend," "spouse," "common-law husband/wife," etc. as possibilities, but then encouraged them to try using "sambo," adding a short explanation when needed.<BR/>So if in some years "sambo" has become a common English term, everyone knows it was because of me and my efforts! ;-)<BR/><BR/>Best wishes,<BR/>BrettB.J. Epsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07564748493196230467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-1163459078934490082006-11-13T23:04:00.000+00:002006-11-13T23:04:00.000+00:00Ah! I wasn't sure how differently it could be pro...Ah! I wasn't sure how differently it could be pronounced, since it looked pretty straight forward. Thanks for the clarification! I grew up with a children's book, which ostensibly used the word in a non-derogatory way, that raised some controversy, so my experience with the word is probably biased. And I do agree that English could use a word along those lines. I've been confused more than once by the mention of a "partner". ^^;Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-1163412851291538602006-11-13T10:14:00.000+00:002006-11-13T10:14:00.000+00:00Yes, I know, but "sambo" is rarely used in that se...Yes, I know, but "sambo" is rarely used in that sense today. Also, why not reclaim/reuse the word for something other than a racist term? We can't erase that former meaning, but we can move on from it. Plus, the Swedish word is pronounced differently, even if it is spelled the same.<BR/>So I still want to make a case for "sambo" -- English could use a word for unmarried couples who live together. "Partner" sounds like you work at the same firm, I think, and "boyfriend/girlfriend" makes you sound as though you are a teenager. <BR/><BR/>Best wishes,<BR/>BrettB.J. Epsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07564748493196230467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26093079.post-1163384416534313742006-11-13T02:20:00.000+00:002006-11-13T02:20:00.000+00:00"Sambo" might be a hard sell, considering the word..."Sambo" might be a hard sell, considering the word already exists: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sambo<BR/><BR/>There are some really unfortunate homophones between languages...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com