this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2026
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xkcd

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xkcd #3237: Husband and Wife

Title text:

Borat came out twenty years ago this year--closer to the breakup of the Soviet Union than to today--but it honestly feels like it's been even longer, somehow.

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3237/

explainxkcd for #3237

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Randall Munroe loves to do these "x was closer to y than today" comparisons and while they're interesting they dont help with the existential thinking

[–] harambe69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 11 hours ago

"Lady of the manor" if you really want to take the piss

[–] FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] edinbruh@feddit.it 14 points 1 day ago

I have an announcement to make.

Shadow the hedgehog is a bitch!

He pissed on my fucking wife. It's true, he took out his hedgehog dick and pissed on her. And then he said it was "this big" and I said "that's disgusting!"

[–] moot@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago

And for centuries after the bombs were dropped and all human life extinguished xkcdbot kept plugging along, posting the ancient texts. Its karma points have dropped a bit since human extinction, but it is undeterred.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

A solution is "my partner". Although I don't use it myself, I think it's a better term, if the relationship is a good one.

[–] thatsTheCatch@lemmy.nz 1 points 9 hours ago

That's good when you're not married. "My spouse" is a good neutral term when you're married

[–] cattywampas@lemmy.world 59 points 1 day ago
[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The title text is necessary on this one.

[–] wavebeam@lemmy.world 3 points 16 hours ago
[–] glimse@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Just say partner. It's a better description of what a marriage should be AND it's gender neutral

[–] stickly@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Always sounded weird and corporate to me. Easiest to just ask what your SO would prefer to be called and not worry about what people might think when you say it

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Partner sounds corporate...?

If anything, it sounds more scientific

[–] tootoughtoremember@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

It seems to be, at least partially, a generational thing.

I grew up in rural, conservative-town USA and am old enough to remember when "partner" was code for same-sex spouse that I'm not legally allowed to marry.

Whereas if you were in a state where you were allowed to marry your same-sex spouse, then they'd be your husband/wife.

Hearing it now, regardless of orientation, just sounds deliberately vague to some of us oldheads.

[–] glimse@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

A Singaporean woman was the first person I heard refer to their opposite-sex partner as "partner" back in probably 2010 and I adopted it. I had a pretty skewed idea of marriage as a kid and it instantly changed my thinking.

Your spouse SHOULD be your partner. You're on a team facing this big stupid world together.

[–] AscendantSquid@lemmy.world 33 points 1 day ago (1 children)

AND you get to say 'howdy' when you see them

[–] SGforce@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Is there an American first person plural for "y'all"?..."We's"?

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yes! And you've nailed one of the most common.

Mind you, none of the ones I've run into reach the degree of usage y'all does.

But, there's we's, we'ns, and us'ns

This is all in my local area, or in areas close enough to have visited frequently.

No idea what yankees use for dialect first person plural, but we'ns down hyuh have it figgered out right nice.

However, if you want the dialect mind fuck of all mind fucks, wait until someone needs to address a large group of mixed sub groups and breaks out "all'a y'all'ns" which is said as a single unit all'a'y'all'ns. All of you all ones. It's like a black hole of linguistics that sucks you in, and the closer you get, the more spaghettified your brain becomes.

They ain't nuthin much more sigogglin than suthren talkin, an if'n it's in the hills (aka mountains), y'all gonna have ta step quick ta keep up. Shit far (fire) and save matches, y'all damn feriners done missed out on some got dayum good talkin!

[–] Wilson@lemmy.today 1 points 10 hours ago

To the north (still solidly east coast) I would occasionally hear all'a'you's and allyouse for a similar purpose.

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

Weesa acutally’bin’ talking like JarJar okieday!

[–] Dotcom@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

We's typically means 'us' or also just we

[–] SarahValentine@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

For me it'll always be Kimura-sensei from Azumanga Daioh: "MAI WAIFU"

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Jankatarch@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ah just when I had forgotten he exists. I don't like thinking about this guy lmao, his existence is cursed.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 12 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I don't even remember borat saying my wife as a significant part of the stick.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Shtick

shtick /ʃtɪk/ A shtick is a comic theme, gimmick, or characteristic routine that a performer or person habitually uses to get attention or laughs.

[–] too_high_for_this@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

The movies plot revolved around making Pamela Anderson his wife. The first scene he introduces his wife, then there's the scene in the middle when the guy brings a telegram saying she died. And he fed Congressman Bob Barr some cheese that he said his wife made with milk from her tit. He probably says the phrase a dozen times in the same inflection.

There's also a scene in the show where he introduces his wife, his other wife, his mistress, his sister, and the one he has to pay.

[–] mycodesucks@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago
[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago
[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Madrigal@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (5 children)

You’re probably right, but I can’t get this one out of my head.

For me its the track from the " who's next" album 1971

[–] yermaw@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

Ohhhhh youre my wife nowwwww

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It has been far too long since I’ve watched this beauty.

[–] Madrigal@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Rewatch time! You’re welcome.

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

This was my original introduction, which left me incredibly confused as I’d not seen 2001 at the time either. In retrospect, it’s hilarious.

https://youtu.be/RFq7flv-C0g

[–] monkeyman76@fedinsfw.app 3 points 1 day ago

Papa Lazarou was where I went, glad I'm not alone..

[–] chrisbtoo@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Madrigal@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Dave's not here.

[–] grueling_spool@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I thought this was referencing Will Smith at the Oscars until I read the alt text.

[–] ech@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The comic says "After two decades"...

[–] squaresinger@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Was Borat before the Will Smith thing? I don't know. The past is such a long and windy place.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Huh. Never saw it.

Another win.

[–] JimmyChanga@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Thought he meant Adam Buxton

[–] Rug_Pisser@piefed.zip 2 points 1 day ago

Unfortunately I'm not sure Buckles is quite the cultural phenomenon that Borat was. I am sure he's okay with that though.

[–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu 1 points 1 day ago

taxi driver ?

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago