The map above shows the United Kingdom, and how each area of the country is different in terms of linguistics, including how to pronounce words and the words that are used to refer to something.
The map’s maker, Ryan Starkey of Starkey Comics, has since made significant changes to the maps above “with far more accuracy and precision”. His updated maps now include Ireland as well.
These updated maps are presented below.
Tea vs. Dinner vs. Supper
The words tea, dinner, and supper refer to mealtimes, usually after lunchtime. However, their usage and meaning also differ, depending on the region, social class, and the word’s context.
Tea
First, the word tea. To you and me, it is a kind of drink that can be served hot or iced, but it’s what the British call the evening meal that is served from 5 pm to 7 pm.
Indeed, the word tea (i.e. tea time) can also refer to the drink, but is also accompanied by sweet refreshments. These times are usually called afternoon tea (taken from 3 pm to 4 pm) or high tea.
Dinner
Next, the word dinner. It’s the main meal of the day, but its actual times depend on where the word is used.
In southern parts of England, as well as in middle- and upper-class families, dinner is taken during midday, which means it’s also interchangeable with “lunch”.
However, for the working class folks, as well as in northern England and other parts of Britain, the word dinner refers to the evening meal.
The word dinner can also be used in meals during special occasions, such as in the terms roast dinner or Christmas dinner.
Supper
Mainly, the word supper is a light meal taken in the evening, after both tea and dinner times (around 8 pm to 10 pm), also before bedtime. It can also be the term for the main evening meal, used by those living in rural and traditional areas.
Usage by Each Region and Social Class
In referring to the main evening meal, Northerners commonly use the word tea, while those from the South prefer the word dinner.
Those from the working class use tea as the evening meal. Meanwhile, those from the middle and upper classes refer to the evening meal as their dinner, and use the word tea as a light meal with a refreshment.
Tig vs. Tag (and other similar words)
What most people in the English-speaking world call a beloved childhood game the tag, most parts of the UK (including Northern Ireland) call this game the tig (marked in light green on the above map).
However, other areas of Britain and Ireland may call the game differently, including “catch” or “chase” in some parts of Ireland and the Shetland Islands (UK).
Words That Mean “Lump of Bread”
The map above depicts the many ways the British (and some Irish) call a medium-sized lump of bread.
For example, in most of England and Scotland (marked in red), this bread is called a roll. The bread is called bap in several Welsh and Irish areas (dark green). Eastern England and Scotland would call this treat a bun.
How to Pronounce “Scone”
There are two ways to pronounce the food item scone, and it depends on where you live in the UK or Ireland.
For a great majority of the UK (as well as Northern Ireland), scone is pronounced as /skon/ (rhymes with gone) – marked in red on the map. But for the Republic of Ireland, as well as in other parts of the UK, scone is said as /skown/ (rhymes with alone) – marked in blue on the map.
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