In all my engagements and marriages I can honestly say that no father-in-law that has called me lovely. There was an uncle-in-law who did but I think he was checking me out so that doesn't count. It is kind of an odd compliment but that is how Emily Blunt's father referred to John Krasinski when Emily's dad was asked about his feelings for John. "We are very happy for her. He is a lovely guy, very bright and a great companion for Emily. We have met him, of course."
Does the statement seem odd to anyone else or have I just had too much caffeine this morning? I don't think I have ever called another guy lovely. Great guy sure. Good looking ok. Lovely? Not so much. And companion? It sounds like he escorting her to a cotillion and not about to get married to her.
Unfortunately he wasn't asked for his opinion of Michael Buble. I'm guessing he doesn't think Michael is all that lovely or a great companion.
Didn't she date Michael for a few years and he would always ask her to marry him, but she would tell him no. I remember him saying that. John and Emily seem nice together.
ReplyDeleteIt's a brit thing I think- to call any person male or female lovely. I think "a lovely person" gets thrown around a lot on the other side of the pond.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren, I think it is a British thing as well!
ReplyDeletesplittin' hairs, enty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Enty. "Lovely" has a feminine connotation. Definitely wouldn't want that description if I were a straight man.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a Britsh thing. My bff's fiance is British and he is always using words like lovely that sounds a bit off to my American ears :)
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely a British adjective.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many, I might add, that I wish I could use (along with "smashing" and "brilliant" (meaning good)) but cannot because Americans only sound like assholes when we talk like that.
I'm a Brit and all that FIL said sounds perfectly normal.
ReplyDeleteGood job none of your wives were British Enty - how would you cope with all our strange sayings?
Yes, sorry we say some of the weirdest things but hey ho, it's polite and kind without being sycophantic which is just marvellous ;)
ReplyDeleteYES...MY HUSBANDS IRISH...HIS MUM IS LOVELY THIS, LOVELY THAT...SOUNDS FINE TO ME...
ReplyDeleteMy Irish family members have used lovely to describe men. Usually they meant a guy with wonderful personality.
ReplyDeleteI like the "We have met him of course."
***OT--
ReplyDeleteI just read that DJ AM was found with 8 Oxys in his stomach and one in his mouth.
I suppose PTSD did him in.
Tooooo sad.
Listen up, Barker--get your shit straight and fly right, cuz the entity upstairs might be looking at YOU next...
Shazzzba-
ReplyDeleteQuestion...Why do you only use caps?
It's a brit thing. If you watch House Hunters International, all the brits on there say the houses are "lovely." Then they add in the question "isn't it?" So it's not weird. I didn't even think the title was weird. Then again, I dvr HHI daily.
ReplyDeleteHave to chime in on this one--it's a Brit thing. I say it fairly frequently and my Dad is English. I think it's a nice thing to say about him. He really does seem lovely. :)
ReplyDeleteit's not just a brit thing...i know several cultures where 'lovely' is used in reference to men...in a few languages too. it's not that odd, enty.
ReplyDeleteGwyneth Paltrow says lovely all the time, so it must be a British thing.
ReplyDeleteShazzzba is saving up for a new MAC and her caps lock is stuck!
ReplyDeleteLAPTOP ISSUES...AND I'M SHORT
ReplyDeleteThe man is British; of course it isn't odd.
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to pick up a book and try to absorb some culture.
lol@bloghopper's comment
ReplyDeleteWhen you're English and middle class, lovely is one of the first words you learn. The second being bugger and the third being super.
ReplyDeleteThen comes all the learning that it's a sofa, not a settee, a living room not a lounge, a loo not a toilet and that you say napkin not serviette.
Like everyone else has stated, "lovely" is a British colloquialism. Another one that I've picked up on is "brilliant.”
ReplyDeleteDo celebrity's parents usually NOT get to meet the future spouse?
ReplyDelete'Of course, we've met him?'
Something aint right
When I was in Britain, deli cashiers would say "lovely" after I ordered a sandwich!
ReplyDeleteI think I shared this before, but I went to high school with the Krasinski's and they are the nicest family you could imagine. Seriously. They are "lovely". Which my Irish relatives use constantly. It's like saying someone is "great".
ReplyDeleteB626, I agree. The comment is very detached and somewhat cautious as if the man doesn't know his daughter's fiancee enough to find anything wrong with him. He can't even bring himself to refer to the guy as "husband", but calls him a "companion". If I were one of their mothers I would be exceedingly concerned about how quickly they are doing this. At least 3 1/2 of the 9 months they've been dating they have spent apart. And, she was only a few months off Buble when they met.
ReplyDeleteThis screams of a desperate rebound, especially for her. And for as private as she claims to be, every milestone in this relationship has been sneakily publicly revealed by her. Buble outed them, she talks cheekily about Krasinski on red carpets, and within 24 hours of getting a ring, she is purposefully flashing her left hand at the paps.
Like I said, if I were her mother, I'd be worried her behavior means she was rushing into this to feel validated after Buble and if I was his I'd be concerned my son was being used.
Dude, they're Brits. Saying someone is lovely company is compliment, and not considered unmanly at all.
ReplyDelete@ArielAbides - doesn't strike me as removed or desperate at all. Calling someone lovely and a good companion is highest praise in Britspeak. They're not an overly gushy people. I'm half Canadian, and we're very British. Believe me, it's high praise. Her parents are thrilled with Krasinski. And I'm not kidding one bit.
They're seriously thrilled with the match, and couldn't be happier. You just have to get with the culture. They're a bit reserved, but lovely people. : )
Ms snarky. I know how Brits are, I lived there for a while, I meant JK and EB's parents should be concerned by their children rushing into a marriage given the situation. Especially since this is Hollywood. Its decisions like this that make the divorce rate so high, no matter how "in love" they may or may not be.
ReplyDeleteMy friend went to college in England and came back calling everything "lovely" or "dodgy."
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteshazzzba said...
ReplyDeleteLAPTOP ISSUES...AND I'M SHORT
Are you short change or just not tall?
I hope you were referring to your height- I laughed so hard when I read that! How Random!!!
Love it! :)
Oh Leah, you beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteMy son's friend (they were 6 at the time) saw a preview of Eragon on our Night at the Museum DVD. He went beserk, yelling out "THAT IS A LOVELY MOVIE! A LOVELY MOVIE!" His use of the word surprised me a bit, but only because I wouldn't have used that adjective to describe that particular movie. If Ent hasn't heard of that adjective to describe a man, so be it. Ent is a lovely man himself.