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I noticed a rash of couples recently who will announce to friends and family, "We're pregnant!" At first I thought this was just a cutesy way of announcing a pregnancy that was intended to be humorous, with the joke being that one partner was somewhat less pregnant than the other. But since first noticing it a few years ago, I've heard and seen it in print much more often.

Here's an example of an image that appears to use it in a humorous context:

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Contrast with this image, which seems to be entirely serious:

enter image description here

Is this an acceptable use of the word 'pregnant'? And if so, how far back does the usage go?

Neeku
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TenthJustice
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  • It's a nauseatingly cute way of announcing a pregnancy. It seeks to imply that the man involved is a lot more involved than he really was and will take his full share of the effort that pregnancy demands. It goes about as far back as the back of my throat where it sticks. Acceptable, NO. – High Performance Mark Aug 21 '14 at 21:19
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    Why do you ask about an acceptable use of the word pregnant? To me it's a question of an acceptable use of the word We. – Jim Aug 21 '14 at 21:24
  • I hear this all the time. It's annoying but seems accepted. –  Aug 21 '14 at 21:24
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    This question appears to be off-topic because it is about the annoyance the OP feels about a common turn of phrase rather than about English usage. – Oldcat Aug 21 '14 at 21:26
  • The earliest use I've found of "we're pregnant" is from 1940. – StoneyB on hiatus Aug 21 '14 at 21:43
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    @HighPerformanceMark - Would you be just as nauseated if the couple exclaimed, "We're going to have a baby!" That's essentially what the couple is saying. As for "taking the full share of effort that pregnancy demands," there's no comparison regarding who's life will affected more for the next nine months. However, about a year later, a lot of dads are indeed playing a pretty big role in parenting. The lifestyle changes don't end at childbirth, which is why some couples might find the expression more acceptable than you. – J.R. Aug 21 '14 at 21:50
  • @J.R. That’s the intended message, yes. But since both of them are actually going to have a baby (have as in have it in the house, in their lives—not as in giving birth to it), “We’re going to have a baby!” is logical enough. The actual pregnancy doesn’t quite extend to the man in the relationship, though. It’s kind of like if your spouse goes to a party but you stay home and read a book—would you ever describe the two of you on the day after as “We’re hung over”? [No, I did not just equate pregnancy with a hangover … though I guess they do share at least one symptom.] – Janus Bahs Jacquet Aug 21 '14 at 22:53
  • @Janus - Yes, there are contexts where I might use the plural pronoun. Say the next day we were supposed to go rake leaves in a park, but she partied too hard last night. When I get the phone call asking, "Are you two still meeting us at noon?" I might answer, "No, we have a hangover." Sure, only my wife's head is pounding, not mine, but a hangover is still the reason we can't go. Also, that doesn't cast her in quite as bad a light as if I said, "No, she has a hangover," which might come across as, "She is irresponsible, but not me." It might depend on if I'm feeling annoyed or understanding. – J.R. Aug 22 '14 at 08:52

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