Every generation has its dating lingo. Have you gone through the new relationship ‘dictionary’? Tinder has released its Modern Dating Dictionary in India, a glossary of love language. Here are a few phrases that caught The Telegraph attention
Situationship: Low-key dating
Young singles are increasingly becoming more intentional about who they spend their time with and what they are looking for. They are embracing open-mindedness and seek casual — yet clearly defined — situationships as the default relationship status. Tinder saw a 49 per cent increase in members adding this relationship intention to their profiles, indicating that is the new fun, honest, stress-free way to enjoy the benefits of a relationship with clarity of intentions with less pressure.
Affordating: Affordable dating or frugal flirting
The world has been feeling the pinch of rising prices and they are also having an impact on singles’ dating lives. Tinder revealed through its Future of Dating report that young singles around the globe increasingly prefer keeping their dates simple because “going outside is expensive”. As frugal flirting catches on, it’s all about finding creative date ideas that won’t burn a hole through their pockets.
Sober dating: Alcohol-free dating; steaming cuppa
Young daters are increasingly challenging traditional dating norms and opting for more creative, authentic and sometimes sober ways to get to know one another. Over 72 per cent members said on their Tinder profiles that they don’t drink or only drink occasionally. Tinder has also seen a local YoY decrease in popularity of interests like ‘grabbing a drink’, with increasing mentions of tea, coffee and outdoors.
Daterview: Date interview; KJO’s rapid-fire
A date that feels more like an interview because no natural conversation develops, but a person constantly “processes” their questions. Of course, it can be eerie to meet someone IRL after only knowing them online. To find out whether this stranger could be the perfect match, you end up firing them with questions that they would usually get in a job interview.
Next on deck: Moving on; thank you, next
A term for the next person in line to date if things don’t work out with a current love affair. The beauty of dating apps is that you get an opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people, some of whom may end up rocking your boat.
On ice: Taking a break; downtime
Borrowed from “putting on ice”, this is a synonym for taking a break in a relationship. Young adults aren’t afraid to set boundaries or take down time when they need to. Instead, they are extremely vocal about taking time off for themselves and prioritising their physical, mental and emotional well-being before getting back in the dating game.
Texlationship: Love on the DM
A relationship between people who will often text each other, but rarely (if ever) meet. The kind of relationship that’s mainly based on texting each other most of the time with little to no face-to-face meetings. In fact, according to a recent survey, 66 per cent young daters frequently chat through messages and text when they’re romantically interested in someone.
Love haze: Crushing hard
Falling too head over heels in love and are unable to see a person’s flaws. It’s important to look for both red flags and green signs to suss out your date. Green flags are good signs that indicate compatibility and mutual respect. In fact, the biggest green flag for 68 per cent of young adults is when their partner makes their feelings clear about them.
Cuffle: Cuffing and cuddles
Cuffng season is the peak season for discovering new connections, when many singletons are seeking others to spend the (winter/holiday/end of year) months with. Cuffle isn’t only about finding the right partner as daters bunker down during winter, it’s also about finding the perfect hoodie that they can claim as their own.