14 Aug 2006, 12:31 pm
14 Aug 2006, 1:00 pm
14 Aug 2006, 1:19 pm
14 Aug 2006, 5:43 pm
15 Aug 2006, 12:25 pm
15 Aug 2006, 3:01 pm
15 Aug 2006, 8:52 pm
26 Aug 2006, 1:01 pm
26 Aug 2006, 2:09 pm
A lot of these 'differences' are found on both sides of the pond. Druids aren't quite the same as Wiccans or Witches (or indeed 'New Agers', 'Hippies' or 'Tree-huggers') but they all fall into the same broad category to a certain extent and the UK has a wide choice of people using all of these terms.
As for the whole dinner vs. supper vs. tea debate, this can start up hours of heated debate in a British pub! The best explanation I've heard is that dinner is always the cooked meal of the day, and the name of the other main meal is determined by the timing of Dinner. Therefore a cooked meal at lunchtime is a Dinner, making an early afternoon sandwich-orientated meal Afternoon Tea and a mid to late evening meal Supper. If the cooked meal is in the late afternoon or early evening then that is the Dinner and the lunchtime meal is therefore called Lunch. Clear now? 
In truth nobody has a clue what the "correct" terminology is, because there aren't any fixed rules. It comes down to one's upbringing. There are variations depending upon social class, geographical area and the size of the meal being consumed. For example, at what stage does Morning Coffee become Brunch?
We have pubs and bars, too. Pubs (i.e. public houses) are generally detached buildings serving a range of beers and often meals too. They are normally quite traditional. Bars are normally in terraces or arcades of shops, have a more modern 'designer' appearance, the drinks are more expensive and often specialised (e.g. wine bars or cocktail bars), and they very rarely serve any food beyond basic snacks.
The biggest thing I notice in comparing the UK and the US is that we have a legal and political system which is regarded as fairly restrictive, but in practice people are usually allowed to say what they like. In the US the right to free speech is enshrined in the constitution but in practice there seems to be an awful amount of censorship and paranoia against anyone who isn't white, middle class, christian and relatively right-wing. Is that a fair comment?
26 Aug 2006, 2:23 pm
26 Aug 2006, 5:12 pm
UK=pissed
US=sh!t-faced
US=pissed
UK=not amused
Here in the US, we use the word "stuff" to mean to eat a lot and to be "stuffed" is to be full of food. But don't say that in Australia.
Here in the US, meal names are determined by their order and time of day. We don't name meals after drinks. Morning coffee is morning coffee, no food involved. Breakfast is first meal, lunch is second meal around noon, dinner is last meal in the early evening. We don't have a late meal, unless it's snack or dessert. I spent years working in a nursing home so I will use the term "supper" to mean the last meal.
US-cookies
UK-biscuits
27 Aug 2006, 5:08 pm
27 Aug 2006, 5:33 pm
27 Aug 2006, 5:37 pm
