I was born in the 'fifties, and have lived all my life in Canada. The term 'courting' had become obsolete by the time my 'peer-group' was of an age to be speaking of such things, although it was used occasionally among my parents' generation, but more in reference to their own younger days. Other than that, the word 'courting' continues to have a life in academic parlance. 'Squiring' and 'stepping out' are terms that would only be used with humorous intent, the speaker deliberately being 'old-fashioned' (sorry!). As teenagers, we would talk of couples 'going around together' or 'going out'. Into our twenties, 'going out (together)' was the preferred term. We didn't usually speak of couples 'dating'. If someone talked about 'going out on a date', it was generally understood that this was a somewhat formal courtship event, consistent with Richard's definition, usually involving a prospective partner outside of the normal bunch of ne'er-do-wells with whom one bashed about. But it was very much something that implied that the consummation, if it were to occur at all, would take place some time in the vague future. As my generation here has come into middle age, the terms 'date' and 'dating' have been making a comeback, as have the activities themselves.

Curiously, among the twenty-somethings now, 'dating' has become a euphemism for involvement in an ongoing sexual relationship. Among that age-group, 'we started dating in January' can very well mean 'we commenced having on-going sexual relations in January'. Well, maybe this usage pre-dates today's twenty-somethings; I recall many years ago being asked by a street prostitute if I wanted 'a date'.

As for a couple being an 'item', this is an expression which has been current throughout my lifetime, but never the preferred expression. Frequently used only after the speaker has been unable to think of another way of putting it, as in "They've become [brief pause] an item."