“My” can, but certainly doesn’t always imply ownership. It implies that the qualifier for person B in the sentence is applied to their relationship to me, person A.
My banker, my hairdresser, my dentist, my accountant, my contractor, my neighbor, my boss, my elected official, etc.
Probably not at all on you, here, but this is a good example of “exaggerated progressivism” or fake-woke/politically correct speech. It weakens the credibility of the progressive movement and gives conservatives silly exaggerations to point to and mock, when this kind of stuff emerges.
I don’t know if “my” always means owning the noun it could mean co-owning the relationship. If I say “my partner” or “my kids” or “my job” I don’t think most people think I am a slave owner who somehow has an unbreakable contract with work.
My wife is absolutely fine in my books. The same way you can say my friend or my acquaintance or what have you, you can say my spouse/wife/husband/whatever without implying any sort of ownership. My view might be skewed being an ESL, but the same applies to German, Russian, Ukrainian, French, for example, which I speak too. I’ve never heard people complaining over those usages
When I read “the wife”, I read it as this. It feels impersonal, like you are intentionally distancing yourself from your spouse. Like, why would you do that unless you are literally Al Bundy?
Like it or not “the wife” was a change in language seen as progressive not too long ago because it recognises that a man doesn’t own a woman.
What would you prefer “my wife” implying ownership. “A wife” implying a non specific wife of anyone.
Or they name them on social media to avoid mentioning their marital status and ignoring their relationship to them.
I’m genuinely curious how this person should, in your view, refer to the person they’ve married.
“My” can, but certainly doesn’t always imply ownership. It implies that the qualifier for person B in the sentence is applied to their relationship to me, person A.
My banker, my hairdresser, my dentist, my accountant, my contractor, my neighbor, my boss, my elected official, etc.
Probably not at all on you, here, but this is a good example of “exaggerated progressivism” or fake-woke/politically correct speech. It weakens the credibility of the progressive movement and gives conservatives silly exaggerations to point to and mock, when this kind of stuff emerges.
Just my 2 cents!
I don’t know if “my” always means owning the noun it could mean co-owning the relationship. If I say “my partner” or “my kids” or “my job” I don’t think most people think I am a slave owner who somehow has an unbreakable contract with work.
My wife is absolutely fine in my books. The same way you can say my friend or my acquaintance or what have you, you can say my spouse/wife/husband/whatever without implying any sort of ownership. My view might be skewed being an ESL, but the same applies to German, Russian, Ukrainian, French, for example, which I speak too. I’ve never heard people complaining over those usages
“my dad”
I do not own him. Wtf is that argument?? It’s not a descriptor of ownership but relation.
“No he can’t be YOUR dad, he’s MY neighbor”
This whole thread’s logic is whack.
I prefer the ole ball and chain. /s
When I read “the wife”, I read it as this. It feels impersonal, like you are intentionally distancing yourself from your spouse. Like, why would you do that unless you are literally Al Bundy?