L.A. SPEAK

A little of the lexicon of the lonely--and the dating services they may turn to. ex-New Yorker wants same: redlining term used in personal ads. People who place these ads rarely respond to queries from anyone raised west of Manhattan. generous: adj. used by someone seeking financial support. “SWF looking for athletic, generous, secure gentleman.” hopeless romantic: n. usually an unemployed underachiever. “ Hopeless romantic looking for commitment. Seeks uninhibited professional who doesn’t mind a dreamer.” INS: interview, no sale. Used by dating service reps after a failed sales pitch. NQ: not qualified. Dating service term for people with arrest records, bad credit, mental problems or other faults that make them bad date bait. “I’ve had 6 NQ s today and not one sale.” Renaissance man: n. a boring intellectual who is usually a few years older than the age listed. “Renaissance man seeks cultured, buxom SWF hungry for opera and appreciative of maturity.” Westsiders preferred: no inquiries accepted from east of Sawtelle.