Very anal

[HGKinsey]

If someone tells you that you are very anal, what do they mean?

[RevShirls]

Basically this is a Freudian term. In general usage it means that you are not good at letting go of things - or need to hold on to things (anally retentive). It stems from theories about toilet training.

You can read a wee bit more here:

http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa111500a.htm

[jno]

usually means something like possessive or controlling, perhaps the sort of person who catalogues all his CDs very carefully and keeps a very tidy house. It's cod-Freud; he described (if I'm recalling correctly) a stage of development when babies learn to control their bowels, and the implication is that people who still try to control their lives minutely have not matured beyond this early stage. In fact most people do try to keep some order in their lives, and 'anal' is sometimes just used as an insult by slobs and slackers to praise their own lack of tidiness.

[Octavius]

People in my office, for some reason, tend to use it when they wish to infer that someone is talking out of their bum.  It's good, but it's not right.

[acw]

Have you watched the TV series Friends?  If so, your question can be answered in 3 words! Monica Geller/Bing!!  She does it in a sweet way in my opinion though.  :-)

RevShirls - "toilet training... You can read a wee" - sometimes Scottish words can be so well placed!!  TEE HEE HEE!!! :-)

[Peter Pedant]

Kinsey - I dont think the someone likes you very much - it's not your son tryng to bum a fiver off you is it?

He thinks you're a little potty.

I think in an emergency, I might reply - and you have logorrhoea.....

 

PP

[acw]

I take "anal" as a compliment!! :-p  There's nothing wrong with being well organised and hygenic!  And holding on to things can be very useful - especially when atop a cliff! :-)

Mind you - I think people have their own meanings for "anal" in this context, so I'm never sure how rude someone's being. 

[flaming]

A few years ago "you're anally retentive" was a put-down from someone, meaning that they thought you were too tense.

[moderator]

that you are being "anal" with them or "arsey" / "anal" i.e. moody, bitchy to them