Why do english people call meal times by different names?

Question

I've always found it strange that people call the meal times by different names.
For example I always say Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
While others have Breakfast, Dinner and Tea!

Why is that? Whay do you say?

Aftert that quick spate of answers I think I should have also asked where you are from, if its a regional thing? I am originally from N Yorks. And I also agree that "Tea" is a thing you have mid afternoon between lunch and dinner..!

PS.. sorry for putting english.. I meant british, as in not Americans as they will probably have a different version again..

Answer 1

I think this probably stems back to victorian times or earlier, mainly in the upper class society who could afford to eat many meals a day.It would have been, breakfast,lunch,afternoon tea,(about 4pm),dinner,which would have been eaten later at night than most of us now.The poor at any time,then or now,would be grateful for one meal a day & wouldn't care what title or time it was taken.

Answer 2

British Meal Times

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why do english people call meal times by different names?
I've always found it strange that people call the meal times by different names.
For example I always say Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
While others have Breakfast, Dinner and Tea!

Why is that? Whay do you say?

Answer 4

Breakfast,

then it gets complicated... if it's the main cooked meal I call it dinner, whatever time it is. Then the lighter meal is either lunch or tea, depending on the time. And supper is an evening snack. Then there's elevenses!

I would guess that the cause of all these differences is that the English language has it's roots in so many other languages.

Answer 5

Hi, I think this is regional thing. I'm from the north of England and say Breakfast, Dinner or Lunch and Tea, I now live in Devon and people correct me all the time. In saying that afew people I know here (I'm not sure where they are from originally) say the same so maybe I hate to say - it's a class thing?
Tea originates from a meal consisting of sandwiches or cakes taken with the famous drink taken I think later in the afternoon or early evening. hope this helps

Answer 6

Breakfast
Milk
Lunch
Milk
Dinner
Milk
Milk
Bed.

Answer 7

I think that Tea was a late-day meal invented in mid 19th C to allow ladies to impress their equally idle guests, at half-past four, with the excellence of their plates and by the multitude of their serving staff.
Later, the lower classes took up the word 'Tea' for their practice of eating sardines and suchlike when their husbands came home from a hard day at work down the local coal mine or similar.
The North of England is full of fine people, I am told, and I hope to visit it one year.

Answer 8

What you call your meals is just a matter of where you were raised and by whom. My English-German mother was raised in the Pacific Northwest, her father was an engineer specializing in hydraulics and she has always called our meals breakfast-lunch-dinner-(& a late light meal a supper) my Russian-German father was raised in Minnesota his parents were gardeners, they raised flowers for florist shops, produce and dairy products for local grocers, and meat for surrounding area butchers, my father had always called the meals breakfast-dinner-4 o'clocks-supper. I am thinking regional and ethnic components all played a role. I call it Come N Get It or Foraging. (Hey why stick with someone elses names? Make your own up).

Answer 9

Upbringing. (As America WAS predominatly English or British to begin with..) Americans changed the names they called their meals. I'm with you; Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. A lot of people I know have the last one as Supper. In my family "Supper" was a dinner meal had very late at night. I think the English/British idea of "Tea" is a lovely one! I think we should incorporate it here! Also, many European countries have a "closed for" period during their work day. The Italians and Spanish close for "Siesta". Usually 2pm-4pm... I love it! Let's do that, too! It could save us all from overworked, cranky "shop staff", and them from us! }:>

Answer 10

I dont know! Well i know we use "tea" because back in the days all the posh people would have a nice cup of tea in the evening, so we call our evening meals tea, even though we tend have a proper meal rather than just tea! I call it breakfast, lunch and dinner!