Words, brains

[wispfox]

Define "acquaintance", please?

I have a suspicion that my dysfunctional recognition skills cause this one to be strangely defined for me, as I will tend to expect that _lots_ more people recognize me than I recognize. So 'acquaintance' for me seems to include anyone that I 'should' vaguely know, whether or not I actually know who they are when I'm talking to them. So, pretty much all co-workers and former co-workers (I'm... memorable, apparently), plus random smatterings of other people.

Comments

[the-xtina.livejournal.com]

Someone I know but am not friends with.

[regyt.livejournal.com]

Basically what you said. Anyone I have met or know at all who isn't a friend.

[dajt.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. For me, it's someone I well enough to recognize, but not well enough to trust.

[randysmith]

Person you've met but that you don't consider friend (not yet having strength of connection, or not liking, or thinking is a fine person but not interested enough to put in friendship development time or not having talked to for long enough).

[randysmith]

FWIW, if I don't have some memory trace around them, I don't consider them an acquaintance. If they know me well, they're a source of embarrassment :-}, but not an acquaintance unless I remember *something* about them.

[caulay.livejournal.com]

Someone that I have directly interacted with (which could include exchanging some messages with via the internet) but only on a limited basis.

This might include people I have met in passing at parties or co-workers from other departments that I never had reason to interact with, other members of focused mailing lists or message boards, that sort of thing.

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

Someone I have met -- ie, we've been in the same place and have at least exchanged names and pleasantries -- but don't have or expect to have an ongoing relationship with.

[corivax.livejournal.com]

Someone I would make small talk with if I found myself at the bus stop with them. If they're someone I would suggest going and getting coffee with and catching the next bus, they're probably a friend. :)

[starandrea.livejournal.com]

Anyone I've met, or someone that I'm around often enough that we're aware of each other even if we haven't actually swapped names ♥

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

'people who I know socially and who know me but that I don't hang out with on a regular basis nor make time to see'

[jasra]

This.

[hfcougar.livejournal.com]

Someone I know and am more or less friendly with, but I am not so close to them as to call them a friend. I might enjoy running into them or chatting with them at a social event, but I would not generally seek out their company purposely.

[alandd.livejournal.com]

I think this is precisely my definition - I attended my latest high school reunion recently, and ran into a bunch of people I wouldn't call friends, but did enjoy spending time with, some of whom might turn into friends, some of whom I won't think about until the next reunion rolls around, many of whom I consider acquaintances. I know 'em, I might like 'em, but not enough to make a real effort to see them out of context.

[galaneia.livejournal.com]

Someone I have met on several occasions, and spoken with, but who I do not know well and would not tell anything particularly personal.

I don't tend to actually use the word in conversation much, but when I do that's what I mean.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

someone i'd say hi to if i saw them

[kemsit.livejournal.com]

For me, an acquaintance is someone I've met but not had any or many intimate conversations with yet. I may see them occasionally, but we haven't actually *talked*.

I tend to be very open and less private with people I know, so it doesn't take me long to consider someone a friend. However, it usually requires some 1 on 1 time with them.