MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > What does the word "dating" mean to you?

What does the word "dating" mean to you?

posted 4 years ago by EvilPinata (1186)
13 replies | jump to latest

I'm just curious because I use dating as a term that means you're just going on n dates with someone. Not that you're necessarily a couple or exclusive. However, a lot of people I talk to think of dating the same way I think of going steady which to me is when people are actually together as a couple exclusively.

Dating to me has a short term connotation where as going steady means long term goals.

Just curious to see what others on here think. Even my wife thinks it's weird that I differentiate the two terms because she thinks "going steady" is a dated term. I just feel like by definition dating means going on dates.

[–] actionkamen (23176) 4 years ago

I think it's both. Depends on context.

[–] howgamer (3644) 4 years ago

I do believe it has a short term meaning. You could still be dating someone after multiple dates or doing on the first date. If you are a couple after a month or two, not married or engaged, I don't think many would say that they are still dating that person because the trial period has ran.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Different for everyone I guess, but if I’m dating a guy I already know it’s a thing. It’s just going through all the fun beginning stuff.

[–] Catbookss (13664) 4 years ago

Same. I wouldn't use the term going steady, but to me dating means a try-out period, not serious. The stage after that IMO is boyfriend/girlfriend/SO.

[–] EvilPinata (1186) 4 years ago

Fair enough. At least you differentiate it.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

It's something that scientists do with radiocarbon.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

When someone says dating, I think of the first, yeah. If you're serious about each other and it's exclusive, you're boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/choose your PC term.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I see it as couple working to establish a long term relationship.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I just had a discussion with my son about this yesterday.
Dating is not exclusive. Its hanging out and having fun and getting to know a person/people. No commitment.
He thinks it means you're a couple.
Too soon. You should be dating lots of different people, and a time will come, when one of the people you are dating becomes 'special'. That's when you have 'the talk'.
If you both are in agreement about each others specialness, a couple is born.