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The Language of Online Dating

By Mochi / May 8, 2025

In the modern world, many people turn to online dating apps to find love and romance. This article, based on the BBC Learning English’s 6 Minute English video, explores the language and vocabulary associated with online dating.

Today’s movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjFQIP8w5Jw

Listening Quiz

Test your understanding of the video content by answering these quiz questions:

Q1: According to research, what do men tend to lie about in their dating profile?

their hair
their height
their age

Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton’s research revealed that men tend to lie about their height on their dating profiles.

Q2: What is the meaning of ‘catfishing’ in the context of online dating?

Using a false profile to appear more attractive
Fishing for compliments
Looking for love online
Using a real profile with exaggerated information

‘Catfishing’ involves creating a false online profile to appear more attractive or different from the real self.

Q3: What does ‘wokefishing’ mean?

Pretending to be woke or socially aware
Fishing for woke individuals
Staying awake while fishing
Pretending to be asleep while online

‘Wokefishing’ refers to pretending to have liberal or progressive attitudes and opinions that align with the person they are attracted to.

Q4: What does ‘walking a fine line’ mean?

Balancing between two opposing ideas
Walking in a straight line
Walking carefully
Telling the truth

‘Walking a fine line’ means finding a balance between two opposing attitudes or ideas.

Q5: What is a ‘dating profile’?

A way to introduce yourself online
A profile of a date fruit
A dating app
A type of fishing

A ‘dating profile’ is a brief written description of yourself which you hope will attract a partner on a dating site or app.

Vocabulary

Here are some new words and phrases related to online dating:

Deceptive

Deceptive: Lying so people believe something that is not true
Being deceptive in your dating profile can lead to disappointment.

Hanging out

Hanging out: An informal way to say spending time with someone, usually friends
I love hanging out with my friends at the weekend.

Walking a fine line

Walking a fine line: Finding a balance between two opposing ideas or attitudes, or between two opposing sides so as not to annoy either side
When exaggerating your qualities on a dating profile, you are walking a fine line between attractiveness and deceit.

Catfishing

Catfishing: Trying to appear more attractive by pretending to be someone else on social media
He was catfishing by using a photo of a model on his dating profile.

Wokefishing

Wokefishing: When someone pretends to share the same opinions as the person they are attracted to
She was wokefishing by pretending to care about environmental issues because he was a passionate activist.