SNIP
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>One thing that confused the hell out of me was the distinction between "lunch", "dinner" and "supper" in English. The only digestable (pardon the pun) explanation I got around here is that "dinner" is when it's more of an event, like eating out or having some decoration on the table etc. Lunch and supper are supposed to be run-of-the-mill meals, while dinner can come anytime in the interval covered by those two, and replace either or just get inserted.

That seems a reasonable explanation of its evolution. Maybe it came about once so many people started working, either bringing their "lunch" or "going out to/for lunch".
At least around here the word "supper" has basically disappeared.
I wonder if kids get confused when they hear people talking about "The Last Supper"? < s >, stirring things up with a Biblical reference


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>Judging by the volume of the citizens I see around the place, I figure the latter is the most frequent.