On 2 October 2011 10:24, Lisi <lisi.re...@gmail.com> wrote: > For those for whom tea is the evening meal, supper is a hot drink (probably > made with milk) and a biscuit or sandwiches before going to bed. > This "dialect" also allows for dinner - a hot cooked meal in the middle of > the day. > > For those who have lunch in the middle of the day, and dinner or supper in the > evening, the distinction between supper and dinner is as you say, unless you > add the word "party". Then dinner party is in the evening, but supper party > is less formal and is later in the evening, say after a concert or the > theatre. So "party" ,maintains the formal/informal distinction, but also > shifts the time. >
Yes, I hadn't considered the subtle changes incurred by the "party" suffix, but you are quite right. It's no wonder that confusion reigns when non-English English speakers try to learn or understand the many variations. Then, of course there is the question of local, dialect words and phrases......... Terence -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/CAFG91EMkn=SUYgvnk4iZpa5gGpRXYqoXPdwQ4zewqYb=ro4...@mail.gmail.com
