A phrase from historical newspaper personal ads, explained with real examples from the archive.
A playful twist on object matrimony: the writer wants company, not a husband.
| Type | Historical language |
|---|---|
| Category | Formula |
| Earliest example in the archive | January 10, 1905, New Haven Union |
| Most common | A one-off twist, 1905 |
Object matrimony was so standard that changing one word made a point. In 1905 a middle-aged woman in New Haven wrote object sociability, keeping the familiar form and signaling that she wanted a companion to spend time with. It is one of the earliest ads in the archive to say plainly that marriage was not the goal.
MIDDLE-AGED lady would like to meet congenial gentleman; object sociability. Mable Dodge, General Delivery, City.
Today it would read as friendship first, or just looking for company.
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How this fits into 170 years of personal ad shorthand: From Object Matrimony to LTR: How Personal Ads Learned to Talk in Code.
All dictionary entries · The Personals Archive · How to write a personal ad
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