Great. To have abundantly received your instruction 2008/10/7 Josney Ribeiro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Going Dutch > > > Going Dutch is a slang term that means that each person eating at a > restaurant or paying admission for entertainment pays for himself or > herself, rather than one person paying for everyone. It is also called Dutch > date and Dutch Treat. > > > Etiquette > > There is a delicate etiquette surrounding going Dutch. It may be accepted in > some situations, such as between non-intimate friends or less affluent > people, but considered stingy in other circumstances, such as on a romantic > date or at a business lunch. > > The traditional way to handle a bill on a date in the West has been that the > one who invited the other takes the bill and the invitee may not even know > the actual price of the meal[citation needed]. > > Etymology > > The phrase "going Dutch" probably originates from Dutch etiquette. In the > Netherlands, it is not unusual to pay separately when going out as a group. > When dating in a 1 on 1 situation however, the man will most commonly pay > for meals and drinks. English rivalry with The Netherlands especially during > the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars gave rise to several phrases including > Dutch that promote certain negative stereotypes. Examples include Dutch > courage, Dutch uncle and Dutch wife. The particular stereotype associated > with this usage is the idea of Dutch people as ungenerous and selfish. > > In Italy, the expression pagare alla romana can be translated as: "To pay > like people of Rome" or "to pay like they do in Rome". It has the same > meaning as "going Dutch". > > The corresponding phrase in Turkish is hesabı Alman usulü ödemek, which can > be translated into English as "to pay the bill the German way". > > Some South American countries use the Spanish phrase pagar a la americana > (literally "To pay American style") which refers to a trait attributed to > people from the U.S.A. or Canada. > > In Argentina specifically, 'a la romana' (exact translation of Italian's > 'pagare alla romana') is widely used and 'pagar a la americana' (pay > American style) doesn't exist. > > In Guatemala the phrase is "a la ley de Cristo... cada quien con su pisto" > which is used more as a rhyme with the word "Cristo" and "pisto" - rather > than having a religious connotation... > > In Thailand, the practice is referred to as "American Share". > > In the Philippines, it is referred to as KKB, an acronym for "Kanya Kanyang > Bayad" which can be translated in English as "Pay for your own self". > > > The gambling term dutching may follow this same route as it describes a > system that shares stakes across a number of bets. It is commonly believed, > however, that the Dutch reference here was in fact derived from a gangster > (Dutch Schultz) who used this strategy to profit from racing. > > Feminist support for Dutch date practice > > During the advent of second wave feminism, the late 1960s and 1970s, the > women's movement encouraged women to understand aspects of their own > personal lives as deeply politicized. Many feminists investigated the > framework and assumptions of traditional courtship roles. They subscribed to > the idea that there should be equality of the sexes, not just legally, but > socially and sexually. > > They held that it was mature, empowering and self-respecting for women to > pay their own way in romantic dates. They were rejecting traditional gender > role assumptions that men should make more money and should pay for > affections through dinners and other date costs. In this way, women were > making an equal investment in the cost of courtship. > > It became more common for women to pay their own way or to pay for men's > meals. Some women were offended if their male dining partner "grabbed the > check." > > Opposition to Dutch Practice > > Since the 1990s, many women have abandoned 1970s feminism's ideals for > equality of gender roles and relationships. Many have reverted to adopting > 'traditional' investment in the courting relationship, and assumptions about > men's responsibility to spend money to express affection. The feminist view > point is that the other result of this is the creation of a debt or a > feeling that female now 'owes' the male something, redeemable through the > offering of sexual favours. Women began to choose not to put themselves in > this position and thus empowered themselves by paying their own way. > > Social custom also varies among same-sex couples. Most often, it is the > inviter or the one whose financial situation most lends him or her to pay > who does so. The lack of rigid tradition, however, leaves no widely adopted > custom. > > International practices > > In Sweden, the practice of splitting the bill in restaurants is common. In a > courtship situation where both parts have a similar financial standing, > which is commonplace in Sweden, the traditional custom of the man always > paying in restaurants has largely fallen out of use and is by many, > including etiquette authorities[who?], considered old fashioned. Generally a > romantic couple will take turns paying the bill or split it. It is generally > assumed that everyone pays for himself or herself in restaurants unless the > invitation stated otherwise. > > In most of northern and central Europe the practice of splitting the bill is > common. On a dinner date, the man may pay the bill as way of overtly stating > that he views this as a romantic situation and that he has some hopes or > expectations for a future development. Some women object to this or even > find it offensive (per Feminist support for Dutch date practice above) so it > is a judgment call. Younger urban women especially tend not to accept men > paying for them; or will in turn insist to pay for the next dinner or drink. > > In south European Countries such as Italy, Greece or Portugal it is rather > uncommon for locals have separate bills, sometimes even regarded rude, > especially when in larger groups. But in urban areas or places frequented by > tourists this has changed over the last decades. > > >
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