"Going out..."

The words "go out" has recently caused some problems because of its vagueness.

When person A asks person B, "Will you go out and watch Wicked with me?" does it automatically mean that person A is asking person B on a date. I assumed it was quite understandable but then it turns out that for some people, the term "go out" means just that, "to go out" and nothing more.

Is that only here in this country, or is it something experience by other Southeast Asians? Hehe! Or could I be too exposed to Western television where the term "go out" is immediately understood as an invitation to date, because person A is interested in person B (or if the stars are conspiring, there's mutual interest).

Anyway, there are two people I know right now who got into some sort of trouble because of the words "go out." One was asked to "go out." The other one asked another person to "go out." But as it turns out, the other persons in both scenarios are seeing someone. Augh!!!

And it's all because the phrase "go out" wasn't taken by the receiver as it was intended by the sender. Both the sender and the receiver weren't playing the same language game, Wittgenstein would have said. Augh!!!

Maybe the national dailies should run a frontpage story on Monday that the phrase "go out" means an invitation to date, and that people who are already seing someone should say no when they are asked out. Hehehe!

I know, I know, this entry is not too Valentine-esque. But seriously, someone should do something to prevent others from falling into the whole "go out" misunderstanding.