<P> In Catalonia "going Dutch" is the rule among Catalans . This is referred to in the Spanish language as pagar a la catalana ("to pay the way Catalans do"). </P> <P> In some parts of Italy (especially the south), 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 a double and opposite meaning, depending by the tradition followed: the modern and more common meaning of pagare alla romana is to divide equally the total cost between all the commensals; the other meaning is the same as "going Dutch". This can lead to misunderstanding . </P> <P> In France, it is close to "faire moitié - moitié" or "faire moit' - moit"', which means "each one pays half of the bill". For romantic dates, the traditional practice is that the man pays . In a business meeting, the hosting party usually pays for all - it is considered rude not to do so . </P> <P> The corresponding phrase in Turkish is hesabı Alman usulü ödemek, which can be translated into English as "to pay the bill the German way" ("Alman usûlü": German style). Splitting the bill is becoming increasingly common among the younger generation, especially when all parties have similar income levels . </P>

Where does the saying going dutch come from