Chris Olson - SunPS <Chrisf.Olson at Sun.COM> writes: > > We say, "I'm involved in a relationship with Susan." What does > > "relationship" mean in that context? Do you know? Can you define it? > > In regards to this, would qualifying it be better? > > If one was to say "I have a purely sexual, open and honest > relationship with Susan", would that be a more accurate use > of the word? I'm actualy really curious about this one, as > the word is used constantly, and I've always had trouble with > it... "Relationship" is a case of deliberate vagueness, and as such is very useful. Most people neither need *nor want* to know "Susan and I screw like minks on every flat surface at every opportunity". I think this vague use of "relationship" is generally understood to mean "ongoing emotional/sexual entanglement". A one-night stand is not a relationship. Being married for 20 years is a relationship. Being engaged is a relationship even if you haven't gotten into sex yet. So "lover" isn't right (and is still Too Much Information in many contexts), "fiancee" is wrong these days, "significant other" means close to the same thing but is longer. -- David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b at dd-b.net / New TMDA anti-spam in test John Dyer-Bennet 1915-2002 Memorial Site http://john.dyer-bennet.net Book log: http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/Ouroboros/booknotes/ New Dragaera mailing lists, see http://dragaera.info