Are they deliberately trying to confuse me? I think the answer is not a simple one. It just may be that they are confused & they can’t help themselves. Allow me to explain myself...
Ø A definition of the word Significant is... “Having Meaning”.
Ø A definition of the word Other is... “Used to refer to all the members of a group except the person or thing that has already been mentioned”.
Modern World has combined these two words into “Significant Other”. This is where my confusion starts. “Significant Other” is defined as, “A person who is important to one's well-being”.
Tell me if you think this is progress (No. Don’t tell me because I am afraid of what you might tell me.)...
Ø There was a time when the word Spouse was the word for referring to the one to whom we were married.
Ø Then “Significant Other” was invented.
Ø Then I started seeing forms I was filling out that listed the categories “Spouse” & “Significant Other”.
Ø Now I am seeing forms that only list “Significant Other” & “Spouse” has disappeared.
I don’t think this is progress (Remember I told you I did not want to hear what your opinion is.).
I like the word “Spouse”. My wife has been my Spouse for a long time &, I may be old fashioned but, I think to start calling her my Significant Other would be a Significant Downgrade.
My other Significant Other Quandary started when I was reading a newspaper article the other day. The article made mention of a couple of Significant Others who had separated from each other. Does this mean that they are now Insignificant Others?
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
Lagniappe: Special to Rick... Yesterday at the tennis match you made a comment about the term “Significant Other”. When you said it you looked directly at me. Yesterday I had not yet published this blog posting about Significant Others. Might this mean you are reading my mind? Might this mean you are starting to think like me? If so, you are in a heap of trouble! 
