On another forum there has been a discussion about the meaning of bar versus tavern versus pub.

To me, a pub is more laid back; there's conversation with no music, and people are enjoying their drinks. A bar, to me is often where boy meets girl, so to speak. Drinking is secondary to the social scene, the music is loud and the flirting rampant. Now, on this other forum, somebody thought a tavern to be in between the two. I think of a tavern as a blue-collar place to drink a beer after work; mostly men, often drunk, sit around to drink to get drunk.

Do you agree? Are there other words for places to drink?

quote:

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Are there other words for places to drink?

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"Ye Olde Watering Hole"
"Stumble Inn"
"Cheers"

In England, where we take these matters very seriously, each of the terms suggested has a different meaning.

A pub (or public house) is a place where anyone can stop and take refreshment, once usually only beer although all pubs now serve any kind of drink. It was originally a house belonging to the owner or tenant and there are still a few pubs where drinking tsakes place in a room in a house whith the drink being brought in from a cellar.

A bar was originally the counter from which the drink was served and which kept the customers away from the serving area. However, the term is now commonly used for the establishment itself. In England a bar would tend to be in a hotel or theatre.

A tavern is an old-fashioned name for an inn, which is an establishment providing accommodation as well as food and drink.

Many countries have adopted the words and meanings are often very strange. In most countries and hotel is a place where one stays the night; in Australia it's a pub!

Incidentally, in many countries a public house is a brothel, so the expression should be used with care, if at all, in such places (Spain is just one such)

Richard English

In Venezuela, when I lived there 40 years ago, places where dancing occurred advertised that fact by displaying a sign that said, "Dancing." It seemed fashionable to use the English word.

Each of those places, thus labelled, was known as a "Dancing."

Same word-evolutiion pattern as "Café," In the American West, where the name of the product appealed to the Spanish-speaking clientelle, and evolved to become the name of the place.

I find the different definitions of "drinking places" very interesting. My thoughts about "bars" were not totally accurate because, though I still tend to think of them as places to meet people, I forgot about "bars" in hotels. Now, those usually are quieter and more for the serious drinkers.

Here is someone's thoughts from that other forum:

"I always picture taverns in the era of a young USA. More like the English pubs they are trying to emulate, but a bit more rustic. Today, I see taverns as the older, neighborhood joints - a good place to meet a friend for a quiet beer and catch a ball game - but not in the same vein as a (bleh) sports bar. Whenever I think of a pub, I think of the English or Irish variety and any place that does its best to mimick them. Maybe a bar covers them all?"

I never go into "bars" or such because of the smoke that is usually present. But one of the last hotels I stayed in, had it's lounge right off the main lobby, more of a little alcove, rather than a separate room though, but they served alcohol and allowed smoking.