Re: [OT] British vs. American English (was Re: Wow, Evolution left me with eggs in my face)
On Sun, 2011-10-02 at 01:44 +0100, Lisi wrote:
> On Sunday 02 October 2011 01:09:16 Stephen Powell wrote:
> > In England,
> > "tea" means a full meal.
>
> Sorry to contradict you, but this is inaccurate. I don't know how the numbers
> pan out percentage-wise, since the use of tea in that sense is both regional
> and class based. (Yes, that terrible British class system.)
>
> In the middle classes in the south, and the upper classes everywhere in
> England, tea means a cup of tea in the afternoon, perhaps with biscuits
> and/or cake etc. Cream tea means, I think everywhere in England, a pot of
> tea and scones with cream and strawberry jam, consumed in the afternoon.
>
> In offices and certainly some factories, we have a tea break in the afternoon
> and a coffee break in the morning.
>
> I simply don't know how this pans out in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, but you
> rescued me from needing to know by specifically speaking of England! I am
> not quibbling - there are distinct cultural differences between the nations.
>
> I just asked my granddaughter what meal she would mean by tea and she
> said "What meal? There isn't a meal called tea." So it hasn't yet changed
> and is still used as I have described above.
>
> Sorry - language fascinates me!
>
> Lisi
"1) To be extremely angry
2) To be heavily intoxicated with alcohol to the point of not knowing
where you are." http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pissed
I had more than just one beer, no tea ;), but I did know where I were. I
was extremely angry. Anyway, I misbehaved, but I should switch back to
Thunderbird aka Icedove ASAP.
Sorry again,
Ralf
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