Add to the list of things I didn’t know: POSSLQ.
What a great thing I learned today in the New York Times article about what to call those of us who choose to shack up instead of marrying. It is true that girlfriend sounds too junior high, and partner is too businesslike.
But now I see POSSLQ is an option. In 1980, I couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to anything beyond Iron Maiden and trying to look sinister, so it’s not a surprise that the U.S. Census Bureau’s category POSSLQ never landed in my world.
In 1980, the United States Census Bureau made its first attempt at naming these creatures in order to count them. It really outdid itself lexicographically: “person of opposite sex sharing living quarters,” abbreviated to POSSLQ and pronounced “possle cue.”
How this great word never caught on is a mystery. It is now how I will refer to my gal, my old lady, my significant other, my better half. I’m going to change its spelling, though, and go with posslecue. One word.
