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4 days ago
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Unsuspecting men might really believe their partner when they say 'Nothing's wrong' or 'I'm fine'.
But sorry to break it to you, chaps – these phrases usually mean something entirely different.
Women are more likely to use these coded sayings – also known as 'Couplish' – as a way of avoiding confrontation and arguments, experts say.
Now, researchers have come up with a translator to help unsuspecting boyfriends and husbands navigate the terminology.
'Couplish is the secret language of long–term love,' says Aly Bullock, Head of Relationships at couple's app Paired.
'It's how couples keep the peace without saying what they really think.
'It's used daily to dodge conflict, soften criticism, share duties and keep affection flowing. Our translator helps decode it – and couples to laugh at themselves.'
So, do you recognise any of these commonly–used phrases?
Paired surveyed more than 1,000 members and found the three most common 'Couplisms' include 'I'm fine', 'We'll see' and 'Nothing's wrong'.
Their survey found that women are more likely to use these phrases than men.
'Over centuries, women have been socialised to be more passive – encouraged to let only gentle, supportive things leave their mouths,' Ms Bullock, a licensed therapist, said.
'In an age when opinions matter but speaking up can still feel uncomfortable, many women have perfected subtle forms of Couplish – a kind of artful, sometimes passive–aggressive shorthand.'
Other commonly–used sayings include 'Do whatever you want', 'Can we talk later' and 'I don't care where we eat'.
'You didn't have to do the dishes' also features, as well as 'I just think it's funny how'.
Only two phrases were used more slightly by men – 'It's not a big deal' and 'If you like it, I love it'.
The translator revealed that in almost every case, the intended meaning is the complete opposite to what is said.
Women are more likely to use these coded sayings – also known as ‘Couplish’ - as a way of avoiding confrontation and arguments, experts say (stock image)
The poll revealed that nine out of 10 people admitted they say one thing to their partner but mean another, while almost a third said they do so daily.
More than half said they use this coded language to avoid conflict.
Paired have now released their Couplish Translator, allowing couples to work out what their other half really means.
'Ever wish your partner came with subtitles?' CEO Kevin Shanahan said. 'Now they do.'
WHAT CAUSES RELATIONSHIPS TO FAIL?
A relationship can have many downfalls but 'marriages often die more by ice than by fire' says leading relationship expert Dr Michael McNulty.
Couples drift apart and this often leads to break-ups.
The first steps that lead to couples drifting apart in a break-up can be broken down as follows:
Stage one: More negativity than positivity seeps into the relationship.
Stage two: The four horsemen of the apocalypse - Contempt, criticism, defensiveness and stonewalling all contribute to a poisonous relationship.
Stage three: Flooding - The stage where anger starts coming out in the relationship and the partners become highly emotional.
Stage four: Emotional disengagement - After the vast amount of emotional unrest before this is where the relationships becomes stale, with both parties checking out already.
Relationships of any length can become damaging and prone to failure if the two people involved don't constantly work towards maintaining parity and a healthy relationship (stock image)
