The Great Midday Meal Debate

[TANGODANCER]

Have to leave off reading for a bit now; wife's putting the tea out, she just told me.

Same here. Earl Grey I believe, served along with a cookie.

Nah, what's left of yesterday's beef and gravy with some chips and peas and a brew of .P.G Tips.

Somehow all served up as a hot beverage. Incredible.

Only to those who take dinner after getting home from work at teatime....perhaps.

[bwfcdan94]

People down here it is breakfast, lunch, dinner. In Bolton it is breakfast. dinner, tea (not supper) anyone want to protest. If you have supper then assuming you stick to having 3 meals a day then you have to "lose" either tea or dinner. breakfast supper dinner does not sound right nor does breakfast tea supper. I generally thought supper was a southern thing and just meant a brew and a biscuit before bed. I do know that supper has to be in the evening not in the afternoon.

[Bruce Rioja]

People down here it is breakfast, lunch, dinner. In Bolton it is breakfast dinner, tea (not supper) anyone want to protest.

Yes me. This entire fecking thread is about the different names that people have for mealtimes. That's the fecking point of it.

[Dujon]

Down here we have, in order, breakfast - morning tea - X - afternoon tea - Y - supper. Anything between pairs is a snack.

X and Y I cannot say. The fact that we have morning and afternoon teas would indicate that the midday meal (X) should be called tea, but it isn't; it's pretty much universally labelled lunch(eon). After that it becomes somewhat murky. My wife for instance - Australian born of Australian parents (her maternal grandmother was English, from Eastbourne) - invariably calls Y tea. I on the other hand usually use the word dinner. In other words in our household the terms tea and dinner are interchangeable.

Then there is the problem as to what the word luncheon involves. In the world of the worker it normally means a meal consisting of a couple of sandwiches brought from home or, perhaps, a meat pie with tomato sauce bought from the local greasy joe. A weekend celebratory luncheon for friends or family, or a business luncheon can be a slap up meal. I'm just as confused as you are.

This discussion reminds be of, just a few years ago, a young lass working in her family take-away business drew me aside one evening to enquire as to when one says 'good evening' and when when says 'good night'. The family was Cambodian. This was the proverbial bolt out of the blue and threw my partly intoxicated brain into turmoil. My fuddled brain tells me that I answered something along the lines of: "If it's night time I would greet you with 'good evening' and, no matter how short our conversation, I would leave with the 'good night' salutation." I hope sincerely that I didn't deceive the young lady with gobbledegook.

[General Mannerheim]

Dinner & tea with no consideration for southerners. Although I never have my tea before about half seven. Unfamiliar with these fiveoclockers...?

[TANGODANCER]

It isn't just the Brits that have confusion, Dujon. In Spain "Buenos Dias" is generally good day, "Buenos Tardes" is effectively like our evening, all though it can be any time after mid-day and Buenos Noches good night. Then there's hasta la vista, ( till the sight of you) the more familiar Hasta pronto (see you soon) Hasta tarde (see you later) and the universal
"Adios" (chopped from Vaya con Dios-Go with God) is usually meaning goodbye but the locals greet each other with it in the morning when passing in the street.

"Good" tends to get dropped a lot and just "Morning" used, and afternoon and evening are pretty much replaced by a simple "hello". All of it is pretty much as you please.

[Montreal Wanderer]

It isn't just the Brits that have confusion, Dujon. In Spain "Buenos Dias" is generally good day, "Buenos Tardes" is effectively like our evening, all though it can be any time after mid-day and Buenos Noches good night. Then there's hasta la vista, ( till the sight of you) the more familiar Hasta pronto (see you soon) Hasta tarde (see you later) and the universal
"Adios" (chopped from Vaya con Dios-Go with God) is usually meaning goodbye but the locals greet each other with it in the morning when passing in the street.

"Good" tends to get dropped a lot and just "Morning" used, and afternoon and evening are pretty much replaced by a simple "hello". All of it is pretty much as you please.

What about Hasta luego?

[Athers]

It isn't just the Brits that have confusion, Dujon. In Spain "Buenos Dias" is generally good day, "Buenos Tardes" is effectively like our evening, all though it can be any time after mid-day and Buenos Noches good night. Then there's hasta la vista, ( till the sight of you) the more familiar Hasta pronto (see you soon) Hasta tarde (see you later) and the universal
"Adios" (chopped from Vaya con Dios-Go with God) is usually meaning goodbye but the locals greet each other with it in the morning when passing in the street.

"Good" tends to get dropped a lot and just "Morning" used, and afternoon and evening are pretty much replaced by a simple "hello". All of it is pretty much as you please.

I found in Colombia that while all three of dias, tardes (post 12) and noches are used, in an informal situation they just say 'buenos' - suppose it simplifies the issue for everyone.

Hasta luego I've always found more used and never hear hasta la vista

[TANGODANCER]

Hasta Luego (until later) is just another "until". It's more common than hata la vista, which is a bit formal and outdated, probably used when you don't know when you'll see each other again. If you're seeing someone tomorrow it could be hasta manana. Nos vemos is used amongst groups of friends (roughly, "we see each other" ) but wouldn't be used with comparative strangers. Hasta luego is probably the most useful. Hasta otra vez (until the next time) is another I've found most things in Spanish are best kept in the short form.

[William the White]

It isn't just the Brits that have confusion, Dujon. In Spain "Buenos Dias" is generally good day, "Buenos Tardes" is effectively like our evening, all though it can be any time after mid-day and Buenos Noches good night. Then there's hasta la vista, ( till the sight of you) the more familiar Hasta pronto (see you soon) Hasta tarde (see you later) and the universal
"Adios" (chopped from Vaya con Dios-Go with God) is usually meaning goodbye but the locals greet each other with it in the morning when passing in the street.

"Good" tends to get dropped a lot and just "Morning" used, and afternoon and evening are pretty much replaced by a simple "hello". All of it is pretty much as you please.

I found in Colombia that while all three of dias, tardes (post 12) and noches are used, in an informal situation they just say 'buenos' - suppose it simplifies the issue for everyone.

Hasta luego I've always found more used and never hear hasta la vista

In spain as well... I've never heard dias, tardes or noches used alone. Buenos or buenas frequently. Though 'buenas tardes' in Spain probably wouldn't start until v late afternoon - or even nightfall...

[Bruce Rioja]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

[thebish]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

sorry - if you've given in to "lunch", you can't complain about serviettes and dessert... them's the rules!

[Bruce Rioja]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

sorry - if you've given in to "lunch", you can't complain about serviettes and dessert... them's the rules!

Can, and have.

[Athers]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

"sweet"?

[Worthy4England]

Afters, surely?

[bobo the clown]

Afters, surely?

That's the rascal.

[Bruce Rioja]

Good grief. Sweet? Afters?

[Annoyed Grunt]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

"Would you like to see the pudding menu?"

Never been asked that in a restaurant.......

[Bruce Rioja]

And another thing. It's pud, or pudding, not dessert. And, whilst I'm on, they're called napkins, not fecking serviettes! Grrrrr.

"Would you like to see the pudding menu?"

Never been asked that in a restaurant.......

That's because you eat in Benny and Harry's or whatever it's called and watch X Factory.

[Athers]

Good grief. Sweet? Afters?

Haha, I'd never say it but the old man has been known to. Leigh, init