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Single?

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  • 16-11-2008 8:28pm
    #1
    Peared
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭


    Friend of mine recently got into a predicament based around saying yes when asked if she was single.

    What she meant was she wasn't married, not that she wasn't going out with anyone.

    What do you take single to mean, should you have to quantify it with a second question?


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    #2
    LightningBolt
    Registered Users Posts: 1,639 ✭✭✭LightningBolt


    Em if someone is single I take it to mean they're not involved with anyone else. I presume 99.99% of people would think the same.


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    #3
    Galvasean
    Registered Users Posts: 30,746 ✭✭✭✭Galvasean


    LightningBolt wrote: »
    Em if someone is single I take it to mean they're not involved with anyone else. I presume 99.99% of people would think the same.

    Spot on. If they wanted to know if she was married they would have said "Are you married?"


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    #4
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    Peared wrote: »
    Friend of mine recently got into a predicament based around saying yes when asked if she was single.

    What she meant was she wasn't married, not that she wasn't going out with anyone.

    What do you take single to mean, should you have to quantify it with a second question?

    Your friend is an idiot and a terrible liar.


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    #5
    Peared
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭Peared


    See, I wudda thought so too but seems there's a whole load of people out there who for some reason have weird morals and dont want to lie so answer on a technicality kinda thing.


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    #6
    Peared
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭Peared


    Boston wrote: »
    Your friend is an idiot and a terrible liar.

    Yeah.


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    #7
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    You'd be surprised. When I lived in America I was friends with a few couples who had been dating years; the girls said they were in a relationship, the guys said they were single on the basis they weren't married. I don't know I'd be altogether happy with that if I was the girl, but they were all fine with it.


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    #8
    metrovelvet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭metrovelvet


    It depends on where the question is. On legal forms I take it to mean NOT MARRIED, in everyday use I take it to mean NOT INVOLVED.


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    #9
    omb0wyn5ehpij9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,095 ✭✭✭✭omb0wyn5ehpij9


    LightningBolt wrote: »
    Em if someone is single I take it to mean they're not involved with anyone else. I presume 99.99% of people would think the same.

    +1


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    #10
    SarahSassy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,145 ✭✭✭SarahSassy


    I would have taken it to mean not married... If someone asks me if I am single I would say yes on the basis that I am not married but if it was in a social - guy chatting up situation, then I would also explain I am going out with someone.


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    #11
    Boston
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    Sigh, you know what you're being asked. One could redefine the question to mean anything they want. Yes I am single since at the moment since the other half is not here or yes I am a single life form, as are you. When someone asks you "are you single" they are asking "are you involved with someone". On forms the meaning is clear since you are given two options single or married and you select the one most applicable.


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    #12
    Peared
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭Peared


    I have another friend who is married but seperated (not legally) and they still live together, for the moment anyway.

    He says he is single.

    I really don't think you can assume it's straighforward anymore.

    And as ellscur says, in the states its fairly normal to say you're single until they day you walk down the aisle.


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    #13
    metrovelvet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭metrovelvet


    ellscurr wrote: »
    You'd be surprised. When I lived in America I was friends with a few couples who had been dating years; the girls said they were in a relationship, the guys said they were single on the basis they weren't married. I don't know I'd be altogether happy with that if I was the girl, but they were all fine with it.

    That's right. In the US, I would do the same.


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    #14
    LightningBolt
    Registered Users Posts: 1,639 ✭✭✭LightningBolt


    Peared wrote: »
    I have another friend who is married but seperated (not legally) and they still live together, for the moment anyway.

    He says he is single.

    I really don't think you can assume it's straighforward anymore.

    And as ellscur says, in the states its fairly normal to say you're single until they day you walk down the aisle.

    I presume the Op's friend is in Ireland, if so I take single to mean not involved with anybody.


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    #15
    Reku
    Registered Users Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Reku


    Single to me means not seeing anyone.
    Whether you're specifically married/engaged/etc... doesn't come into it IMO.


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    #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    It is a formal way of wording the question. So I'd assume it meant martial status.
    I'd probably clarify that I wasn't seeing anyone if it was in a social setting.


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    #17
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,226 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Single? Unmarried and not committed to an exclusive relationship. Still dating. Doesn't mean that you don't fancy someone in particular...:D


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    #18
    Trinity
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,662 ✭✭✭Trinity


    Peared wrote: »
    Friend of mine recently got into a predicament based around saying yes when asked if she was single.

    What she meant was she wasn't married, not that she wasn't going out with anyone.

    What do you take single to mean, should you have to quantify it with a second question?


    She could have said i am not married but i am "peared"

    You get it? I LOL'd.

    Sorry :(


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    #19
    SarcasticFairy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭SarcasticFairy


    I'd take it to mean not involved with anyway. I wouldn't have even considered single to be just unmarried, unless I was like filling out an application form or whatever, which obviously wouldn't have a "I'm sort of seeing someone" or "I have a live-in boyfriend, but we're not actually married" option....


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    #20
    bnagrrl
    Registered Users Posts: 996 ✭✭✭bnagrrl


    On forms and things I tick 'single' as I'm not married.

    If anyone else asks me I say I'm engaged.


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    #21
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    Yeah, it only means "not married" on official forms. In everyday conversation it's "not involved" - in this country anyway.


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    #22
    'Ol Jack Chance
    Closed Accounts Posts: 337 ✭✭'Ol Jack Chance


    so by sounds of it op your friend could have chosen to say I'm single with a fiancé/e :pac:

    single means unattached imo


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    #23
    bennyblanco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭bennyblanco


    Hedging her bets by the sounds of it.
    Single is unattached and as such fair game I would say (legal forms notwithstanding)


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    #24
    fonpokno
    Registered Users Posts: 8,375 ✭✭✭fonpokno


    If you're single you're not in a relationship, if you've got a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner then you're not single!

    Saying that you're single as long as you're not married is weird to me...


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