{"id":350538,"date":"2021-10-09T15:00:51","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T12:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/"},"modified":"2021-10-09T15:00:51","modified_gmt":"2021-10-09T12:00:51","slug":"what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"#What Does \u201cSO\u201d Mean, and How Do I Use It?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bc4bb95679\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bc4bb95679\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/#Significant_Other\" >Significant Other<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/#The_Origin_of_SO\" >The Origin of SO<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/#What_Is_%E2%80%9CSignificant%E2%80%9D\" >What Is \u201cSignificant?\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/#Similar_Slang_Terms\" >Similar Slang Terms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/what-does-so-mean-and-how-do-i-use-it\/#How_to_Use_SO\" >How to Use SO<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#What Does \u201cSO\u201d Mean, and How Do I Use It?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-752918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/couple-holding-hands-sunset.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/couple-holding-hands-sunset.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/couple-holding-hands-sunset.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Closeup of couple holding hands at sunset\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/couple-hold-hands-green-field-on-1186242634\">Nomad_Soul\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Have you seen tweets with people talking about their \u201cSO?\u201d That\u2019s probably not the word \u201cso\u201d accidentally typed in all-caps. It\u2019s a totally different term.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Significant_Other\"><\/span>Significant Other<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>SO stands for \u201csignificant other.\u201d People on the internet use it to refer to their spouse or partner. For example, someone might say, \u201cI asked my SO if she wanted to get lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s often used to provide a very neutral way of referring to a partner without disclosing or implying any specific details about them. By using SO, you don\u2019t reveal their name, gender, or the stage of the relationship you\u2019re currently at. Your SO can be a boyfriend or girlfriend, or they can be someone you\u2019ve been married to for years.<\/p>\n<p>SO is always typed in uppercase letters to distinguish it from the word \u201cso.\u201d Sometimes, it includes periods between the letters, such as \u201cS.O.,\u201d to clarify that it\u2019s an acronym. It\u2019s also spoken in real-life contexts sometimes, so you may hear some people saying, \u201cI\u2019m meeting with my S.O.\u201d when you ask them where they\u2019re headed.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Origin_of_SO\"><\/span>The Origin of SO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The phrase \u201csignificant other\u201d has been around for a very long time. Its first use dates back to an article by American psychiatrist\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.apa.org\/interpersonal-theory\">Harry Stack Sullivan<\/a>, who explored the dynamics of interpersonal relationships.<\/p>\n<p>It later started being used online on early internet message boards and instant messaging <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>s. Its first definition on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com\/define.php?term=SO\">Urban Dictionary<\/a> dates all the way back to November of 2001 and reads, \u201cabbreviation for Significant Other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It eventually rose to popularity thanks to chat apps like iMessage and WhatsApp, and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a>, especially Twitter. Because of Twitter\u2019s character limits, \u201cSO\u201d became a common way to refer to someone\u2019s partner. At just two characters, it\u2019s much shorter than words like \u201chusband\u201d or \u201cspouse\u201d and continues to be widely recognizable.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_%E2%80%9CSignificant%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>What Is \u201cSignificant?\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Most people use SO as a catch-all, neutral term for anyone you\u2019re in a relationship with. For example, when you\u2019re inviting your friends to a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> night over Zoom, you might include in the invite, \u201cBring your SO!\u201d That means that you\u2019re okay with them bringing someone they\u2019re partnered with, whether they\u2019re dating, partnered, or married.<\/p>\n<p>When someone uses SO to refer to their own partner, they\u2019re normally referring to someone they\u2019re in a long-term relationship with. This is true even if the acronym deliberately obfuscates those kinds of details. That is why you\u2019re most likely to see it used by people in married, engaged, or highly committed relationships instead of people in short-term relationships. Ultimately, what counts as \u201csignificant\u201d may vary significantly depending on the relationship two people have.<\/p>\n<p>An alternate use of SO is in formal contexts, such as filling out an emergency contact form. These forms may use \u201csignificant other\u201d as a catch-all, instead of asking for a spouse name, as a way of including other types of long-term relationships.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Similar_Slang_Terms\"><\/span>Similar Slang Terms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-752925\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/couple-lake-happy.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A couple embracing and looking happy on a lake dock\" width=\"650\" height=\"434\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/happy-moments-together-young-couple-embracing-1259956315\">G-Stock Studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Along with \u201cSO,\u201d there are other slang terms used by people to refer to a partner or someone you\u2019re currently in a committed relationship with.<\/p>\n<p>Significant Other has some similarities to a less-common internet slang term, \u201cDH\u201d or \u201cdear husband.\u201d DH rose to popularity in the mid-2000s in internet boards where women talked about marriage, motherhood, and family life. It can either be used in a sarcastic manner or to soften the blow of stories where they would complain about their husband. It was often accompanied by the slang terms \u201cDD\u201d and \u201cDS,\u201d which stood for \u201cdear daughter\u201d and \u201cdear son,\u201d respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Other acronyms used by people in long-term relationships include \u201cFH\u201d and \u201cFW,\u201d which stand for \u201cfuture husband\u201d and \u201cfuture wife,\u201d respectively. They are used by people when talking about the person they\u2019re engaged to be married to. Another is \u201cFI,\u201d which is an abbreviated form of fiancee. These slang terms are most commonly seen in message boards, social media groups, and forums related to wedding planning.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Use_SO\"><\/span>How to Use SO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you want to use SO, swap it out when discussing someone you\u2019re in a relationship with. For example, if you don\u2019t want people to know you\u2019re engaged, where you might say \u201cmy fiance,\u201d you can say \u201cmy SO.\u201d Make sure that it\u2019s in all-caps as well. Otherwise, people will think it\u2019s \u201cso.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few examples of SO in action:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cMy SO got a dog yesterday!\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI\u2019m going to fly out tomorrow morning and meet up with my SO at Indianapolis.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat kind of birthday gift should I give my SO if he\u2019s into baseball?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We hope that you learned an easy, short way to refer to your partner! If you want to learn some other internet acronyms, check out our articles on OTOH, FWIW, and DW.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>What Does &#8220;FWIW&#8221; Mean, and How Do You Use It?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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It\u2019s a totally different term. Significant Other SO stands for \u201csignificant other.\u201d People on the internet use it to refer to their spouse or&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":350539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/couple-holding-hands-sunset.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-350538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=350538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350538\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/350539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=350538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=350538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=350538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}