Fag = cigarette, but also derogatory slang for a gay man. Possibly they should have mentioned that one. What is it in the US, just the latter?
I'm still trying to work out this one:
Dating in Scotland is different than in the United States. Relationships are formed and maintained within a social circle, not as separate couples. Rather than dating many different people, Scots date one person at a time. Marriage becomes legal at age 16, but usually occurs in the mid- to late-20s. Marriage customs are much the same as in the United States.
Well, they're definitely wrong about the average age of marriage, it's early-mid thirties (just looked it up (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/03/19144/35014)), but then that LDS page seems to be ten years out of date. I have no idea what the second sentence means since of course people form couples, but they usually have a group of friends as well. Said friends may tell said couple to bugger off and get a room if they're too lovey-dovey in front of them.
But what on earth is this business about "rather than dating many different people"? What is the American (or possibly just Mormon) definition of "dating"? In the UK, if you're dating someone you're going out together, you're a couple, although dating tends to be used more for the earlier stages of a relationship. So unless you're into polyamory (rare) or just cheating, of course you only date one person at a time. Going out on a date with someone does not necessarily mean that you are in a relationship, but it usually signifies the very early stages of one, while you're figuring out whether you want to hook up or not. If you're doing this with several people at once, they're not dates, they're going out for drinks/to the cinema/whatever. If that was dating, my ladies-who-lunch habits with eye_of_a_cat must be dating, or the friends I meet up with for drinks or coffee on their own, or anyone I attend a cinema with.
My guess is that they're classifying such interaction as dates, presumably only in a male-female situation, which is why the support website for girlfriends of Mormon missionaries I also found (there was a really insane lass trolling a comm yesterday and she had links to the weirdest places) was confusing me by advising girls to go on dates with other guys while their "mish" was away. It seems like a terrible formalisation of friendly interaction.
no subject
Date: Thursday, 12 October 2006 01:45 pm (UTC)From:I'm still trying to work out this one:
Dating in Scotland is different than in the United States. Relationships are formed and maintained within a social circle, not as separate couples. Rather than dating many different people, Scots date one person at a time. Marriage becomes legal at age 16, but usually occurs in the mid- to late-20s. Marriage customs are much the same as in the United States.
Well, they're definitely wrong about the average age of marriage, it's early-mid thirties (just looked it up (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/03/19144/35014)), but then that LDS page seems to be ten years out of date. I have no idea what the second sentence means since of course people form couples, but they usually have a group of friends as well. Said friends may tell said couple to bugger off and get a room if they're too lovey-dovey in front of them.
But what on earth is this business about "rather than dating many different people"? What is the American (or possibly just Mormon) definition of "dating"? In the UK, if you're dating someone you're going out together, you're a couple, although dating tends to be used more for the earlier stages of a relationship. So unless you're into polyamory (rare) or just cheating, of course you only date one person at a time. Going out on a date with someone does not necessarily mean that you are in a relationship, but it usually signifies the very early stages of one, while you're figuring out whether you want to hook up or not. If you're doing this with several people at once, they're not dates, they're going out for drinks/to the cinema/whatever. If that was dating, my ladies-who-lunch habits with
My guess is that they're classifying such interaction as dates, presumably only in a male-female situation, which is why the support website for girlfriends of Mormon missionaries I also found (there was a really insane lass trolling a comm yesterday and she had links to the weirdest places) was confusing me by advising girls to go on dates with other guys while their "mish" was away. It seems like a terrible formalisation of friendly interaction.