How common is it to use 'in love' in a non sexual

[applegrove]

Last edited Thu May 9, 2013, 03:35 AM - Edit history (1)

way? As in a little gosseling being in love with his human rescuer? Or as in a child admiring an older person? My mom, when she could speak, used to use the latter all the time.

[In_The_Wind]

1. I use the term frequently.

In a non-sexual way.

[Moondog]

2. Pretty commonplace in the US

in places where I have spent some time.

Not so much in the UK, at least the few years that I spent there.

Is it uncommon in Canada?

[applegrove]

6. My mom used it all the time. One of her health care workers used it last night. And then

I saw it in a story on a baby goose. I've used it. Is it from a time before when people were in love for years before they became sexually active? Were love and sex more separate then? Or did the 'in love' come way before the sex.

[Moondog]

7. Not really sure. But

we in the States have gotten a bit sloppy with our choice of words.

To "love" something, or even someone, can mean anything from "he / she / it" is OK, to "I will die without him / her / it". In short, it is contextual here, and it can mean anything from "meh" to undying passion. Sorry to not be of more help.

[ZombieHorde]

3. I don't hear it used for non-sexual relationships,

but this may be a regional thing.

[OriginalGeek]

11. Well I love Steak and Shake Chocolate/Strawberry side by side milkshakes

and I'm not in a sexual rela....wait....nevermind..

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. pretty common in my neck of the woods.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

5. Everything from apple pie to zithers are LOVED!

The Greeks have, I believe, 8 different words to describe the various types of love...less confusing I'm sure.

[The Magistrate]

15. We Could Use A Few Extras In English, Ma'am

"When a man says he loves his wife, he loves his daughter, and he loves a good hamburger, he had better mean something very different in each instance."

[Sekhmets Daughter]

16. I agree!

I've often wondered why we don't have a better way of expressing 'extreme like' or the various types of love... We tend to assume which type is being expressed...

[The Magistrate]

17. At The Risk Of Veering Into Seriousness, Ma'am ( It Is The Lounge, After All... )

I tend toward the view that where a language has points where confusion about intended meaning can easily arise, the culture is hiding something from itself about its mores or beliefs concerning that point....

[Sekhmets Daughter]

18. Sir, I think you may have hit upon the very thing

that so ails this nation. As long as language can disguise the true intent, the culture can ignore its own culpability in a great many areas.

The Lounge is quite inclusive, as I'm sure you are aware.

[The Magistrate]

19. Glad You See The Point Too, Ma'am

I have found it a useful tool. Look at the various meanings of 'property', for instance....

I know the Lounge is broad joint indeed, but I usually visit with levity in mind, or music.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

20. An interesting example, Sir...

as 'property rights' are enshrined in the US constitution, more so than that of any other nation.

[The Magistrate]

22. And Yet The Term, Ma'am

Covers everything from personal effects, like the books on my shelves, to pieces of paper entitling someone to a portion of the income from an industrial plant covering dozens of acres upon which thousands depend for livelihood. These are very different things, and debate on the subject often consists of convincing people ( or at least trying to convince them ) to see the whole range of meaning in terms of just one slice of it, so that a person, say, forms his views on the question of regulating toxic emissions from a refinery in terms of whether someone should be able to tell him where to put his lawn furniture....

[Sekhmets Daughter]

24. But do we need more words to express property...

or do we need to clearly define the type of property we are discussing? Could we not distinguish between the properties which play no significant role in the public domain, ie. the lawn chair, and those which do, ie. refineries? I think perhaps we could, if we had not become so cavalier about expressing thought.

[The Magistrate]

25. At Any Rate, Ma'am

The different forms need to be clearly delineated; I think we agree on that. This can certainly be done, with the language as it stands, but it generally is not done, and deliberately not done, I suspect, in many instances, because it serves a disputant's purpose to have the various types conflated, and people confused about whether their own interest actually align with someone else's or not. The use of a single word as a catch-all for anything which can be taken as owned by some individual makes this sort of thing more easily done.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

26. There can be no doubt that the obfuscation is intentional.

The issue that remains to be considered is just how one goes about eliminating the confusion created by those who would deprive us of our ability to make an informed decision.

[The Magistrate]

27. I Am A Lot Better At Describing Problems, Ma'am, Than At Solving Them, Unfortunately

"Men of reason all are men of violence at heart."

[trof]

8. Don't confuse 'love' and 'sex'.

I've had sex with people I didn't love, and loved people I didn't have sex with.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

29. I'm reminded of Harlan Ellison's "Love ain't nothin' but sex misspelled"

Thereby demonstrating his almost total ignorance of love.

Some years ago, a woman and I had a fairly close relationship that certainly at least verged on love. We once considered having sexual relations, but decided that it would undoubtedly change our relationship, and probably not for the better.

[nolabear]

9. Common enough. It's sweet.

I'm in love with sweet phrases.

[MiddleFingerMom]

10. On the other (sorry... I'm really sorry... I'm so so sorry) hand, Alexander Portnoy loved his liver.

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[marzipanni]

13. Loved liver, but didn't care for liver and onions

[freshwest]

12. We even fall 'in love' with inanimate objects at times. Like cars.

[Locut0s]

14. Actually I think it's far more common to use love in a non sexual way...

Than sexual.

The only overtly sexual use I can think of is "to make love" and that is starting to seem old fashioned.

I love cake and chocolate.
I absolutely love that TV show.
I'm in love with his music
I love cats
I'd love to help you but I don't have the time too right now
I love people who know how to take a joke
I love going for long hikes

Etc etc...

[Xyzse]

21. Quite frequently

I tend to substitute "love" in the sexual context with the word "want".

So, when that word is used, it is usually for something more positive.
So, even when I use that word to a special someone, I think it is in a better context.

[ConcernedCanuk]

23. Ask a man about his vehicle, power tools, other "toys"!!!!

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especially when they are newly acquired . . .

Car, truck, atv, boat,whatever - - -

firearms

fishing lures/rods

get it?

People say they love their relatives,

not "in-love" -

that is usually reserved for their partner.

hopefully!



CC

[olddots]

28. This is deep " I love it ! "

We are loosing languages like endangered species ,there are a little over 6000 languages left .