What ‘common’ term surprised you when it was not understood?
By Fleur
@Fleura (30541)
United Kingdom
July 7, 2022 5:16am CST
When I first met my partner almost 20 years ago, he thought I was divorced because I used the title Ms. (Why on Earth anyone would want to advertise the fact they are divorced is another question entirely). I had to explain that it is simply the female equivalent of Mr. It came into regular use in the 1980s so I thought it was generally understood by now.
A colleague I used to work with regularly signed off her emails with LOL for ‘lots of love’. Eventually someone had to explain that to many people, LOL nowadays stands for ‘laughing out loud’ and might be considered inappropriate.
Most surprisingly, quite a few years ago, a young American man I had had a ‘date’ with on a few occasions asked me what the letter x stood for at the bottom of my emails. I had to explain that they were kisses. I thought that was a universal symbol that has been in use for generations!
What misunderstandings have surprised you?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.
12 people like this
15 responses
@LadyDuck (472077)
• Switzerland
7 Jul 22
I did not know about the letter x, while I knew about Ms. and LOL (laughing out loud).
Many misunderstand the meaning of emojii, even here on myLot. I have seen many user using this symbol 
for drooling to mean that something is "delicious"... This is a RASP, not really polite.
for drooling to mean that something is "delicious"... This is a RASP, not really polite.4 people like this
@LadyDuck (472077)
• Switzerland
7 Jul 22
@Fleura When you pass the mouse on an emoji, on the right side you see the meaning.
No we do not use xx for kisses. I have just seen this question on an Italian site: "What does it means the X that British put at the end of their messages?".
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (13148)
• Ireland
7 Jul 22
@fleura A lady friend of mine from many years ago was outraged to discover that her father had been tampering with her mail. He scrawled “No lesbians in this house - return to sender” on any letter that arrived referring to my lady friend as Ms and put it in the post box. I must confess that when I receive letters regarding my late mother and she is referred to as Ms I protest and tell the sender that my mother was a Mrs, not a Ms.
2 people like this
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
7 Jul 22
@xFiacre It is so confusing nowadays, because some women still like the traditional titles (though I can't think why) so you either have to guess and risk offending, or just wait.
The best option is when they tell you at the start. One friend who got married about 25 years ago clearly stated on the wedding invitations that she would be keeping her original name. Another who got married just a few years ago gave out little boxes of confetti at the wedding with 'Mr and Mrs So-and-so' emblazoned on them.
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
7 Jul 22
That's shocking! I'm sure some of her friends must have been confused!
My mother was a Mrs as well, but she didn't like it much.
So why do you think that a woman should be forced to exhibit her marital status at all times, while a man is just a man? To me this is like wearing a 'for sale' or 'sold' sign, as though a woman is just a chattel, and it surely dates from the times when women were thought of as such.
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
7 Jul 22
Well. LOL simply means to me laugh out loud not lots of love 
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (13148)
• Ireland
7 Jul 22
@m_audrey6788 @fleura It is also the acronym used to refer to Little Old Ladies in nursing homes.
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47670)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
7 Jul 22
And if you signed off OXO would he have thought you were talking about concentrated beef flavor? (The O is supposed to be a hug.)
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47670)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
7 Jul 22
@PhredWreck I think that would really confuse him.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35733)
•
9 Jul 22
Did you also include the O's with those X's 
Lol was one I didn't know the meaning of when I first saw it and believe it or not BTW was another 
One I learned more recently is "Podunk." (means something is small, boring, out-of-the-way, and overall insignificant. It’s often used to describe small towns)
Lol was one I didn't know the meaning of when I first saw it and believe it or not BTW was another
One I learned more recently is "Podunk." (means something is small, boring, out-of-the-way, and overall insignificant. It’s often used to describe small towns)1 person likes this
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
13 Jul 22
@dgobucks226 Some people use IYSWIM for 'if you see what I mean'. Personally I find it quicker just to write the words, I have to think too much about which initials to use for the acronym!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35733)
•
13 Jul 22
@Fleura Yes, O's mean hugs. BTW is by the way, right. I often enjoy finding idioms and slang terms to describe things differently. Using language in alternate ways is in a clever way of expressing things for sure! Many have been around for ages and others seem to be created each week.
1 person likes this
@yanzalong (18987)
• Indonesia
8 Jul 22
I don't think I have misunderstandings as far as the use of words. Maybe there are but I don't remember it now.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16789)
• China
7 Jul 22
I hardly use the abbreviation here.LOL is also short for League of Legends.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37379)
• Toccoa, Georgia
7 Jul 22
I got confused for awhile when my sister in law would end text messages with "TTYL". I then realized she meant "talk to you later".
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (51361)
• Canada
7 Jul 22
I do not know of many that us the title Ms, so this informed me, thank you for that. 
I knew about lol, but that it meant laugh out loud, not the other.
There are lots of short forms, I often use thx in place of thanks, but I am careful where and when I use it as it can come off as being a bit lazy.
I knew about lol, but that it meant laugh out loud, not the other.
There are lots of short forms, I often use thx in place of thanks, but I am careful where and when I use it as it can come off as being a bit lazy.1 person likes this
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
8 Jul 22
Here it's practically automatic to put an x or two at the end of a letter, email, card or text to a friend or relative, at least for a woman. I don't think men do it much though.
I thought the Os were supposed to represent hugs. I don't use them much, I think they are a newer 'thing'.
1 person likes this
@ArtemDreadnought (21)
• Smila, Ukraine
8 Jul 22
"fender" when it belongs to motorcycle. Did not get it while reading.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (30541)
• United Kingdom
8 Jul 22
@ArtemDreadnought Oh! That's what we call a mudguard.
1 person likes this
@ArtemDreadnought (21)
• Smila, Ukraine
8 Jul 22
@Fleura Fender is what is up the wheel of motorcycle. It protects rider from dirt.
1 person likes this
@ihasaquestion (8275)
•
7 Jul 22
I was confused with Wyd. I initially thought it was somebody's name or an abbreviation for some kind of surname or something. Then, I later found out that it's actually short form for What you doing, I lol(ed) to that. In an laugh out loud kinda thing.
1 person likes this
