May 1, 2001

dinner, supper

Here in East Tennessee, we use the word supper to denote the last meal of the day. I have noticed that in other regions, dinner is used-mostly in the North, it seems. What are the origins of these words, and where and how are they used?

Pinning down the use of the terms supper and dinner is complicated by historical, regional, and class differences. And I'm sure my general statements will be contradicted by individuals or families who don't follow the usual customs.

It used to be the custom for workers to eat a big midday meal, called "dinner," and a lighter meal in the evening, called "supper." The dinner hour varied a great deal; for example, the American colonists ate this main meal at about 2 or 3 p.m. In the early part of the 19th century, many workers, especially in urban areas, began eating a lighter midday meal, originally called "luncheon," then shortened to "lunch." (Before this time, "luncheon" was a midmorning snack). Though many members of the working class carried a "lunch pail/box" others continued to have a hot meal in a "dinner pail/bucket."

So the word "supper" was originally associated with the working class, especially in rural areas. In the 20th century, "supper" became the term used by most Americans for a simple, informal evening meal with family. (If it was fancier, as on Christmas or Thanksgiving Day, it was called "dinner.") In contrast to the working class, the middle class, especially in urban areas, used the term "dinner" for this evening meal, as explained in the Dictionary of American English (1940): "The dinner hour is usually in the evening among business, professional, and leisured classes. In rural communities and among many of the working people of the cities dinner is at noon, and to apply the term to the evening meal is felt to be an affectation." However, in the last 50 or more years, the use of the term "supper" has declined, at least in reference to the main evening meal usually eaten between sunset and 9 p.m. ("Supper" is still widely used to refer to a meal in the very late evening, such as after the theater or just before bedtime.) So I would say that nowadays, most Americans, at least those who live in cities, call the evening meal "dinner," even if it is simple and informal. Dinner can be pizza or Chinese take-out on paper plates.

Contrary to the prevailing American trend, big midday dinner and lighter evening supper is common in small Southern towns-the magazine Southern Living has a feature called "What's for Supper?" This custom is also followed in parts of the Midwest-for example, in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota-and it is a long-established tradition in New England. (Though some New Englanders use the term "dinner" for a fancy evening meal, and the term "lunch" for a midday meal or a snack in mid-morning or mid-afternoon. In Boston, "supper" is usually the main evening meal, but the term "dinner" can be used synonymously.)

The Supper Book, by California cookbook author Marion Cunningham, tries to sort out the differences in the use of these terms: "...supper (as opposed to dinner) is a simple meal to put together, often from what's on hand; for the inexperienced cook, it is a less intimidating meal to undertake than a several-course dinner; for the health-minded, it is lighter fare to tuck away before bedtime."

The terms dinner and supper are used in many fixed expressions. For example, "dinner parties" and "Sunday dinners" are fancy, but "Sunday suppers" usually refer to one-dish meals. "Church suppers" are evening social affairs, and "supper clubs" are attended late at night.

The word dinner, meaning 'midday meal', was borrowed in the Middle English period from French dîner, noun use of dîner 'to dine, to eat the first big meal of the day'. In France before the Revolution, dinner was eaten in the morning. The French word comes from Latin elements meaning 'undo + fast',-the English word breakfast was similarly formed. The word supper is also first recorded in Middle English with the meaning 'evening meal', ultimately from an Old French verb meaning 'to eat the evening meal'. It is related to English sup and soup and may also be related to sip.

Carol