Please tell me, what the hell is a Turkish m/f and f/ms? And I am trying to learn Turkish? I dont even understand my "own" language sometimes.................

Male/Female and Female/Male..........just like bf = boyfriend and gf = girlfriend

Its kindoff to late to get back to the main point here, but I would like to add my opinion if I may? I have to agree with Keith that there generally is some hidden agenda involved in male/ female friendships, if no advances have ever been made by either party its usually because they don't have that kind of attraction for you or vice versa.... hence that is why you are "just friends", and as far as the point KIA was trying to make yes you can be close with men and not be b/f g/f but if you are "cuddling" with your male friends trust me either you or him are feeling a bit closer then just friends in less of course you cuddle with your female frinds in the same fashion, in that case hmmmm.... not sure what to say. If you want to keep this a topic on turkish people I would say no, there is not to many male female "close" relationships among adults. Im sure they have friends but not like the kind you hang out with daily i.e. go shopping together, have dinner, have drinks.

I hink the point of this question was to find out if it was "common" or "uncommon" for opposite sexes who are friends to 'hang out'.

Forget the wishes and/or intent of these friendships. On a societal level (majority = more than roughly 60%), is this a common practice.

I would guess no. It does happen in America, but in large groups. I don't even think here more than 50% of the young population (18-4 go out alone to hang out for a coffee or beer.

BUT it is important to note- that if a different sex couple were out for a coffee- in say a Starbucks, it would never be questioned, or even figured that they were a romantic two.

From my very limited time in Turkey(one month), I would guess that this same scenario would be questioned very much. People might assume a romantic partnership, or a dating relationship, rather than just two friends hanging out. (I must say Istanbul is probably more liberal that the rest of Turkey)

[QUOTE ]I hink the point of this question was to find out if it was "common" or "uncommon" for opposite sexes who are friends to 'hang out'.

Forget the wishes and/or intent of these friendships. On a societal level (majority = more than roughly 60%), is this a common practice.
QUOTE]


Why do people always have to point out what they interpret as the point of the thread? Each one interprets it in their own way. Also, it is useless to stop forums from evolving into something totally different. Forums are like conversations you start out talking about your day at work and end up talking about the relevance of Sor. Juana in Latin American Literature. It just happens.....

But I do appreciate your opinion. I would have to disagree about the part mentioning the U.S., but I guess it's not important since the "point" was to discuss friendships between TURKISH males and females.

Here's an interesting diary article I just came across from the Guardian UK from Erica Kaya, an expatriot living in Turkey pointing out some of the subtle difference in male-female relationships that exist between the west and in Turkey.

http://www.guardianabroad.co.uk/diaries/article/173