In most parts of the United States and Canada today, “supper” and “dinner” are considered synonyms (although supper is a more antiquated term). In Saskatchewan, and much of Atlantic Canada, “supper” means the main meal of the day, usually served in the late afternoon, while “dinner” is served around noon.
Is the word supper old fashioned?
The word “supper” has faded over the years, but it could be wise to clarify with older generations because being timely is just one of many old-fashioned etiquette lessons your grandma wishes you knew.
What is the correct word supper or dinner?
Though you can use supper or dinner synonymously for your evening meal, the terms hold distinct meanings. Dinner typically holds a more serious connotation and refers to a heavy, full meal, while supper is often used more informally and refers to a lighter meal eaten at home.
Do Americans say supper?
Regionally it appeared that supper was used most in the Midwest and the South. Another of my friends provided this bit of background, “Dinner is considered to be the ‘main’ or largest meal of the day, whether it takes place at noon or in the evening. Supper is more specifically a lighter evening meal.
Do Brits call it dinner or supper?
According to the majority of British adults (54 percent), the last meal of the day should be called ‘dinner’. In fact, only four in ten Britons still refer to it as “tea”, while just one in twenty (5 percent) call it ‘supper’.
Why do posh people say supper?
In 18th-century London, supper was posh: an insubstantial final snack eaten by the upper classes long after dinner – cold beef and punch, perhaps, nibbled to sate the appetite before bed.
Why do people say supper instead of dinner?
Supper is used especially when the meal is an informal one eaten at home, while dinner tends to be the term chosen when the meal is more formal. In some dialects and especially in British English, supper can also refer to a light meal or snack that is eaten late in the evening.
Is supper a Southern term?
Which would explain why, in certain parts of the south, the word ‘dinner’ has persisted as a reference to the noon, rather than evening, meal. It also helps explain why ‘supper’ has become a distinctly southern word.
Is supper a British word?
English speakers use supper and dinner interchangeably to mean “evening meal.” However, the word supper is more common for British English and traditionally infers a lighter evening meal that occurs after an early dinner.
When did supper become dinner?
The answer has changed over time as the ways people earn their living have changed. Up until the mid-1800s, dinner referred to a midday meal, while supper served as a light evening meal for those needing additional nutrition after a hard day’s work.
Do Canadians say supper?
In Vancouver and Toronto, the American term “dinner” is used to describe the evening meal. But outside of the two city centres, residents in B.C. and Southern Ontario sway back and forth between the two options, while the rest of Canada prefers the British “supper” unanimously.
What time is supper UK?
Breakfast – between 7:00 and 9:00, Lunch – between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m. Dinner (sometimes called Supper) – The main meal. Eaten anytime between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. (Evening meal)
Why do Southerners call lunch dinner?
And on NPR, food historian Helen Zoe Veit points out that in the past, especially in farming communities, the noon meal was the biggest one of the day. Which would explain why, in certain parts of the south, the word ‘dinner’ has persisted as a reference to the noon, rather than evening, meal.
What do the British call their evening meal?
Some people in Britain and Australia refer to their main evening meal as “tea” rather than “dinner” or “supper”, but generally, with the exception of Scotland and Northern England, “tea” refers to a light meal or a snack.
What is an American supper?
“What’s an ‘American Supper’?” you may ask. Well, there seem to be different opinions on the internet but our Members took it to be what many Americans call a “Pot-Luck” meal. The instructions stated: “everybody attending is asked to bring a course for six people and your own drinks”.
What do Scottish people call dinner?
They found that 74 per cent of Scots surveyed call their evening meal dinner. Only 19 per cent think it should be called tea while six per cent said it should be called supper. The findings set Scots apart from our neighbours in the north of England where the evening meal is often referred to as tea.
Do Canadians say supper?
In Vancouver and Toronto, the American term “dinner” is used to describe the evening meal. But outside of the two city centres, residents in B.C. and Southern Ontario sway back and forth between the two options, while the rest of Canada prefers the British “supper” unanimously.
What are meals called in England?
Breakfast – between 7:00 and 9:00, Lunch – between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m. Dinner (sometimes called Supper) – The main meal. Eaten anytime between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. (Evening meal)
Do you say supper or dinner Reddit?
Supper is a light meal after dinner and is less formal. : r/todayilearned.
What does supper mean in Australia?
However, in Australia, dinner would be referred to as the main evening meal, and supper would be snacks and food eaten later in the evening; which the US citizens would call a late night snack.
Why do Brits call supper tea?
It combined snacks and a hearty meal and was usually served at about 6pm. This eventually evolved into the lower classes calling their midday meal “dinner” and their evening meal “tea”, while the upper classes called their midday meal “lunch” and referred to the evening meal as “dinner”.
What do Southerners call the last meal of the day?
Depends on which Southern generation you ask. Dinner and supper: Two simple words often used interchangeably to describe the general setting of the last meal of the day.
