τα έχουμε

08:02 Mar 21, 2012 

... and both Nick's alternatives sound to me a) American, and b) dated. When I was doing that kind of thing in the UK, we didn't call it "dating", we called it "going out". I couldn't tell you what English teenagers call it nowadays. (I was tempted to offer a third alternative, "No, just shagging," but that would be inappropriate for this forum, so I won't.)

After sleeping on it, I reckon that in the case of my BT the original was probably "steady boyfriend/girlfriend", or maybe just "boy/girlfriend".

In any case, once again I'm impressed by how much discussion and controversy two simple words can generate. Ain't language wonderful?

I thank you all.

07:01 Mar 21, 2012 

I'll go with (a).
However, I suspect that their natural answer would be "mind your own business".

00:19 Mar 21, 2012 

Incidentally, if anyone asked a couple "Are you two married?" or "Are you two living together?", which answer would be more natural? (a) No, we're just dating. (b) No, we're just going steady.

13:39 Mar 20, 2012 

Θέλω απλώς να πω ότι (εκτός από το ότι η έκφραση χρησιμοποιείται και σήμερα, υπάρχει και στα λεξικά) δεν είναι σωστό να την περιορίσουμε σημασιολογικά. Μάλλον χαλαρά τη χρησιμοποιούμε. Όπως είπε και η Ήβη, μπορεί να είναι και για μια βδομάδα μόνο.

13:32 Mar 20, 2012 

Συγγνώμη, κάτι ξέχασα Νικ. Δεν αποκλείεται να τα έχεις με πολλές/πολλούς ταυτόχρονα. Αλλά αυτό είναι άλλης τάξης πρόβλημα - δεν αφορά το συγκεκριμένο ερωτηματολόγιο που μεταφράζει ο Philip.

13:27 Mar 20, 2012 

They may have been dating for more than a year but at the same time seeing other people. "Τα έχουν" means for a couple to be in a relationship excluding everybody else, even if it is only for a week - in 50s and 60s teenage slang, of course.

13:16 Mar 20, 2012 

Καμιά αντίρρηση. Αλλά δεν καταλαβαίνω γιατί αποκλείεται να τα έχεις με πολλές ταυτόχρονα. Ή μήπως το «they have been dating for more than a year» δεν μπορεί να μεταφραστεί «τα έχουν πάνω από ένα χρόνο».

13:04 Mar 20, 2012 

... that clarifies things. As always, this discussion has helped lead me to the best solution. Unfortunately, my range of Greek doesn't include 50s and 60s teenage slang :)

I think I'll take "going steady"

13:00 Mar 20, 2012 

I quite like "significant other", except for the fact that it includes the other meanings of spouse and partner.

12:59 Mar 20, 2012 

"Τα έχουμε" is a 50s and 60s expression for teenagers and it meant "going steady" and not dating anybody else.

11:42 Mar 20, 2012 

If this is the case, ''significant other'' may be more suitable. It is formal and vague enough to cover every possible meaning.

11:41 Mar 20, 2012 

How about "being together"

11:15 Mar 20, 2012 

Yes, I understand it refers to a relationship that doesn't include cohabitation (let's say). The reason I asked was because it also struck me as being a bit colloquial for the context. I don't like the "affair" thing, though, because to me that suggests something illicit.

11:04 Mar 20, 2012 

Oh, I see. "Having an affair" could be the English, as "having" may have produced the Greek "τα έχουμε". Otherwise, you understand there are various colloquial ways of putting it. It's just colloquial. Don't see how it could find its way into a questionnaire.

10:57 Mar 20, 2012 

I should probably have mentioned that this is a back translation, in case that makes a difference. So I'm trying to imagine what the original English expression was.