Dating

Your guide to dating

Dating simply means the process of meeting someone to see whether or not getting to know them further could lead to a more intimate relationship and even love. In short, it is a form of courtship which places two people in a social situation where they may start to form a deeper relationship. In some cases, dates lead people to decide the person they have met is not for them. In others, it leads to further dates and even romance. Dates often occur in person with face-to-face meetings, but increasingly people now date over the phone or via video conferencing, too. So-called speed dates are organised events where people can meet many others in quick succession to see whether or not sparks fly.

The term dating began to come into common usage in the 1920s in North America. It caught on and subsequently became popularised in Europe and the rest of the world. In much of the world, the more formal term courtship was still widely used until the 1970s. Essentially, to date someone means to arrange a date in your diary when you are both free to meet. The romantic or courtship connotations are implied. As such, it is possible to use the term dating in a purely platonic sense. For example, two or more friends might set a date to catch up with one another with no suggestion of intimacy.

Most people prefer public places for a date. This is especially important when you are on a blind date or when you do not know the other person very well. Dating safety is a big concern, so choosing a public place, such as a bar or restaurant, is a good move because you can be together and undisturbed but within earshot of others. Dates, where there is an activity involved, can also help to break the ice because couples will have something to talk about other than themselves. Dates involving sport, theatre or visiting a gallery are popular, for example.

There are plenty of places in the world where a chaperone would be expected to accompany a couple on a date. This is often the case in parts of India, North Africa and the Middle East, for instance. In such societies, sex before marriage is frowned upon, so a chaperone is seen as a way of maintaining public decency. In China, educated women often report that it is hard for them to find men to date while in Japan a formal style of dating, known as Omiai, still persists.

They can be. However, dating apps are only helpful for finding suitable potential dates. They don't make going on dates any easier or less nerve-racking. Some people criticise the use of apps because they tend to pander to superficial first impressions.