Why do people say "I'm expecting." when they are referring to the fact that they are pregnant? First of all, it's quite vague, let alone the fact that it's not even a complete sentence.
When someone says this, I want to look at them with a quizzical expression, perhaps with one eyebrow cocked upward and say "Expecting what?" I mean, are they expecting it to snow? To win the lottery? For their roof to cave in?
Socially we all have a 99% chance of knowing what they are referring to but what if, just what if they are referring to something else and just had a long pause to collect their thoughts before continuing? "I'm expecting..........pause.........." and then you start in talking and pretty soon -mass confusion- and this is how rumors get started. Just what if? And all they wanted to tell you was that they were expecting to get a sandwich for lunch. So now we have gone from lunch to baby in 2.2 seconds all because of a ridiculous archaic phrase.
I propose that the term in reference to pregnancy be omitted from our linguistic arsenal. I find it irritating and a tad out-dated...not to mention moderately stupid since it is not even a sentence. I'm expecting..........pause..........to wage a verbal war against it.
About Me
- Lindsey
- For money I am a product photographer for a party supply company. For love I have married my best friend. For life I am a mom and adore every single minute of it. For my soul I seek out the beauty of nature and capture it forever.
2 comments:
Agreed. I also find it a bit anti-woman. It's like it's not socially acceptable to actually say "I have a baby in my uterus," or even simply "I'm impregnated." We have to couch it in vague wink-wink nudge-nudge phrasing like "I'm expecting." I say no more verbal mysoginy!
I think it is a crude attempt at trying to avoid the fact that we all know what you did to get to this point...and that is having sex. Like they're trying to deny the fact that they did the dirty deed by now referring to the outcome in such a "wink-wink" way...and trying to be all Virgin Mary-like...no one's fooling me...!
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