Term I never realised was exclusively Australian:

[deird1]

"morning tea"


Apparently it's only ever heard of in Australia and New Zealand. (Along with "afternoon tea".)

But seriously? The Brits jolly well invented the morning tea break - do they really not use the term? *is baffled*


(For those who are sadly unfamiliar with our wonderful vernacular: morning tea involves snacks of some kind, eaten at about 10am. It doesn't necessarily involve cups of tea.)

Comments

[speaker_to_customers]

In English English it's 'elevenses'. Oddly, in England we have 'morning coffee' and 'afternoon tea'. I have no idea why.

[klme.livejournal.com]

WHAT? How did you discover this fact Deird? So I assume "morning tea time" is an Australianism too? How do you say that in England? "OK everyone, it's elevenses time" ?

[bruttimabuoni]

I'm basically with Speaker. Though 'elevenses' is a tad Winnie the Pooh for me.

'Tea break' is the all purpose one I would use for everyday needs - morning and afternoon. It's distinguished from afternoon tea by a) being about a break in work rather than actually specifying any particular meal and b) tending not to come with scones and cucumber sandwiches; oh and c) actually, it doesn't need to involve tea either, whereas afternoon tea certainly does. I never normally say 'afternoon tea', unless I mean some huge production involving doilies and aunts.

[dipenates]

See also: play-lunch.

[vass]

I had no idea!

[libco.livejournal.com]

When I went to look it up in wiki I saw this: "In the United States, elevenses refers to the now extinct custom of the late-morning whiskey break."

WHY OH WHY DID THIS DIE!!???!!??

[slaymesoftly]

Great fun discussion. Here, it's more likely to be a "coffee break", although what you drink then is optional. As someone else pointed out, it signifies a break from work, more than an actual event. "Afternoon tea" would probably be thought of as a more formal occasion, although not usually at the level I'd expect from a British afternoon "tea".