I think I have a different view on this than you do Mystery Man. There is nothing ambiguous about it. When a guy says "dating", he's more serious about a girl than when he says "talking to." By saying he is talking to some girl, he means she is essentially a bootie call. Someone he just likes messing around with when he's bored and has no one else to hang out with on a saturday night. So this girl needs to realize that he has made no emotional commitment to her. He is leaving his options wide open for something better to come along. If he says he's dating a girl, then he is actually picturing a possible future with her.

Well I have to add my own comment to this. I'm 19 and we have two distinct definitions for "talking" and "dating". When you are talking to someone you are hanging out a lot, seeing if you want to take it further or not. It's the pre-dating stage. He essentially does like you but he's trying to figure out whether you would make it as a couple or not. My boyfriend and I talked for one month before going out. We hung out, went on dates and showed interest in each other. For example, we'd always make sure we saw each other on the weekends versus just hanging out with a girl you ran into. You MAKE more time for that person. As far as "dating" that's when you are actually together officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

In my experience right now (I'm 21. Guy in question is 23), we're "dating." But not boyfriend/girlfriend... or in his terms, "going steady." His words. Not mine. Thoughts? We make lots of time for each other and are practically in a relationship anyway. He's just afraid of titles.