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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that you’re evening meal is called ‘tea’ not ‘dinner’?!

999 replies

Biscoffaddict · 04/02/2021 16:33

I see so many posters on here referring to their evening mea, as ‘dinner’, but in real life I’ve never met anyone who does this and it’s always ‘tea’. It always has been tea. My parents call it tea, my grandparents called it tea, my friends call it tea, my work colleagues call it tea etc. ‘Dinner’ is the meal you have in the middle of the day and that’s why school dinner ladies, are called dinner ladies!

I don’t know but I find it quite irrationally annoying! Surely I’m not alone?!

OP posts:
Tuscadero · 05/02/2021 15:34

It's a bit like when people say 'Kids? I'm sorry but why are you referring to baby goats? Oh you mean 'children'. I see'.

Like they don't fucking know Grin

It's just a way of asserting a bit of pomposity.

AryaStarkWolf · 05/02/2021 15:35

@Tuscadero

It's a bit like when people say 'Kids? I'm sorry but why are you referring to baby goats? Oh you mean 'children'. I see'.

Like they don't fucking know Grin

It's just a way of asserting a bit of pomposity.

Genuinely never knew that was frowned upon until I joined MN
SoundWithoutAName · 05/02/2021 15:35

Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Tea is a drink.

Templetree · 05/02/2021 15:43

@TheJerkStore

Chippy tea and chipper also sound childish I cant bear slang from adults

Why? It must be exhausting having to speak formally all the time.
Don't you ever use regional terms or phases when speaking?

Regional accents and dialects are wonderful and should be celebrated - not called childish or common

No more exhausting ? Why would it be.
Templetree · 05/02/2021 15:44

I cant abide the word "kids" either.

PoplarTrees · 05/02/2021 15:48

@Templetree

I cant abide the word "kids" either.
Lol... Mad
Tuscadero · 05/02/2021 15:49

Totally bonkers.

Templetree · 05/02/2021 15:50

Kids, doggo, sainsbos, holibobs, chipper, chippy, chippy tea, brekkie, brekkie clubHmm

Nothing to do with regional dialect at all.

Templetree · 05/02/2021 15:50

15:48PoplarTrees

Templetree

I cant abide the word "kids" either.

Lol... Mad

No perfectly well thank you

TheJerkStore · 05/02/2021 15:52

No more exhausting ?
Why would it be.

Because most adults have picked up regional dialect and phrases during their life and these become part of your everyday language. To completely omit these every day and every time you speak must require quite a lot of thought and effort.

I find it very hard to believe that someone doesn't use some regional dialect in their speech - obviously this doesn't apply if English isn't your first language or you grew up elsewhere but that's not what's being discussed here.

HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee · 05/02/2021 15:54

@Dogonahottinroof

Afternoon Tea High Tea Dinner Supper

All different meals at different times. Most people in the UK have high tea-a basic single course meal eaten before 7pm.

I suspect you mean most people in your social group,the wellie wearers with ruddy faced children who collect tadpoles in Jam jars and have heaps of Afterschool activities
Alrassan · 05/02/2021 15:58

To the pp suggesting I was 'common' for disliking the word pudding.
Perhaps I am but your lack of manners confirms that you are.

Templetree · 05/02/2021 15:59

@TheJerkStore

No more exhausting ? Why would it be.

Because most adults have picked up regional dialect and phrases during their life and these become part of your everyday language. To completely omit these every day and every time you speak must require quite a lot of thought and effort.

I find it very hard to believe that someone doesn't use some regional dialect in their speech - obviously this doesn't apply if English isn't your first language or you grew up elsewhere but that's not what's being discussed here.

I dont think those words are regional dialect though. You hear them all over the country . I speak 2 languages interchangeably in my family and my DM speaks fluent english but its not her first language. She was very insistent on speaking properly. Ive been told I speak " posh" but its the same as most people where I live. I dont really hear regional dialect here.
lazylinguist · 05/02/2021 16:03

Why? It must be exhausting having to speak formally all the time.
Don't you ever use regional terms or phases when speaking?

What an odd thing to say. Talking the way that is normal for you is not exhausting... it's normal. Obviously you wouldn't use regional words and phrases if they weren't part of your vernacular. I use plenty of slang, but I don't really use words that most people would consider regional, because I come from a part of the country where most people speak what is generally regarded as pretty standard/RP English.

TheJerkStore · 05/02/2021 16:06

I dont really hear regional dialect here.

It absolutely is regional dialect - just because it's used in a variety of different places doesn't mean it isn't. If you look into it you will see subtle differences between geographical areas. This whole thread demonstrates this .....

Using regional language and phrases doesn't mean you aren't speaking properly and certainly isn't childish, common or an indication of intelligence.

Sbowiegirl · 05/02/2021 16:09

I’m from Glasgow. Completely working class. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner

HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee · 05/02/2021 16:10

I love a mn dialect thread,all the horahs pretending they don’t understand colloquialism eg kids...is that a goat?

insisting that it’s normal to have an elaborate meal pattern of high and low teas and a running buffet that culminates in evening followed by cold meats for suppah

Chippy? Chippy tea? Eww no, no idea. Does the cleaner do that when she’s at home

Templetree · 05/02/2021 16:11

Using regional language and phrases doesn't mean you aren't speaking properly and certainly isn't childish, common or an indication of intelligence.

I didnt say it was
Tea is a term used here for children -nursery or after school tea.
Adults saying tea for their evening meal therefore sounds childish.
All the rest I have heard all around the country.
Chippy or kids is hardly regional dialect .

Wean, Bairn,Dreich are all lovely regional words.

TheJerkStore · 05/02/2021 16:12

@lazylinguist

*Why? It must be exhausting having to speak formally all the time. Don't you ever use regional terms or phases when speaking?*

What an odd thing to say. Talking the way that is normal for you is not exhausting... it's normal. Obviously you wouldn't use regional words and phrases if they weren't part of your vernacular. I use plenty of slang, but I don't really use words that most people would consider regional, because I come from a part of the country where most people speak what is generally regarded as pretty standard/RP English.

I read it as though the poster actively avoids using slang or any regional dialect and phrases because they consider them childish.

That's what I was referring to.

LeSquigh · 05/02/2021 16:13

Breakfast, lunch, dinner. A restaurant certainly wouldn’t call it tea. My mum calls it tea, she always has done, she is southern like me, I don’t know many people who call it tea.

Templetree · 05/02/2021 16:18

read it as though the posteractivelyavoids using slang or any regional dialect and phrases because they consider them

Its not my usual pattern of speech.
Why would it be exhausting for me to speak as I normally do?
I still dont think what Im referring to is regional dialect though.
Its slang/ shortening.
Regional dialect would be me suddenly calling my children bairns or a bread roll a cob.
And no it wont be happening Grin

HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee · 05/02/2021 16:19

Breakfast
Dinner
Tea

No supper, no high or low Tea
Glass of mill and toast before bed

TheJerkStore · 05/02/2021 16:22

Tea is a term used here for children -nursery or after school tea.
Where you live, therefore regional

Adults saying tea for their evening meal therefore sounds childish.

In your opinion based on how the term is used by you- not one that is universally held. Especially as my 49 year old DH has just asked what I fancy for tea.

All the rest I have heard all around the country.
Chippy or kids is hardly regional dialect

Chippy is regional - just used across a number of regions. Kids is slang - which apparently is also childish??! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Wean, Bairn,Dreich are all lovely regional words. why are they not childish words?

As someone who has been judged in professional circles for having a regional accent it does get my back up when I see people making negative comments about regional language.... it's a wonderful thing and should be Celebrated!

Tuscadero · 05/02/2021 16:22

a glass of mill

that's proper northern.

'drink thoust mill or there'll be trouble at t'mill'

HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee · 05/02/2021 16:25

@Tuscadero, haha and well observed. I of course mean milk
Glass of mill for the bairns who’ve been in’t the boiler room all day shovelling coal