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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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"The wife"
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2009/10/17 - 12:06pm
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I'm wondering about the usage of "the wife". It's curious to me that men say "the wife" but I never hear women say "the husband". Anyone know when this started (and why)?

johng423
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2009/10/20 - 1:40pm
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I don't know, but I know that how one refers to one's spouse can make a difference.
Although a man I know had only married once and has been faithful to the same woman for many years, he teasingly introduced her as his "first wife."
I glanced at her and noticed how she scowled at that, so I turned to him and said, "Oh, you mean your one and only?"
She beamed, with gratitude in her eyes.

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