lunch

[Unregistered]

Should lunch be plural or singular?

Most teacher bring their lunch from home
Most teacher bring their lunches from home

Do both mean the same thing

Most teacher bring their lunches from home
Most teacher bring home lunches

[2006]

Should lunch be plural or singular? Both are acceptable, with the corrections in blue.

Most teachers bring their lunch from home.
Most teachers bring their lunches from home.

Do both mean the same thing? (I assume you're referring to the sentences below.)
They do, but I don't think the second one would be commonly said.


Most teachers bring their lunches from home.
Most teachers bring home lunches.

2006

[David L.]

Most teachers bring their lunches from home.

Most teachers bring home lunches.

The two sentences would be read as having very different meanings.

1. The sentence means that most teachers prepare a lunch at home and bring that with them to school, as opposed to buying lunch (in the school canteen)

2. The sentence means either, (i) the lunch they took with them to school was not eaten, and so they bring it back home with them at the end of the working day or (ii) they bought lunch of some kind (at the school canteen), did not eat it, and so brought it home with them at the end of the day.

To make the two sentences similar in meaning, the second sentence would need to be rewritten as:

Most teachers bring home-made lunches.

[2006]

Most teachers bring their lunches from home.

Most teachers bring home lunches.

The two sentences would be read as having very different meanings.

1. The sentence means that most teachers prepare a lunch at home and bring that with them to school, as opposed to buying lunch (in the school canteen)

2. The sentence means either, (i) the lunch they took with them to school was not eaten, and so they bring it back home with them at the end of the working day or (ii) they bought lunch of some kind (at the school canteen), did not eat it, and so brought it home with them at the end of the day.
For above meanings, I would not say "Most teachers bring home lunches." I would say something like, 'Most teachers bring their lunches back home.'

To make the two sentences similar in meaning, the second sentence would need to be rewritten as:

Most teachers bring home-made lunches. I agree that your sentence is better, but "home lunches" is understandable so I let it pass for meaning "home-made lunches".

2006

[David L.]

Most teachers bring home-made lunches. I agree that your sentence is better, but "home lunches" is understandable so I let it pass for meaning "home-made lunches".
Hmm?

I think the immediate meaning for most people is
Most teachers bring home lunches. (as also in the saying, 'bring home the bacon')

not reading it as
Most teachers bring home lunches ='home lunches' = home-made lunches.

[2006]

Most teachers bring home-made lunches. I agree that your sentence is better, but "home lunches" is understandable so I let it pass for meaning "home-made lunches".
Hmm? "home lunches" is comparable to terms like 'cafeteria lunches', 'convenience-store lunches' and 'takeout lunches'.

I think the immediate meaning for most people is
Most teachers bring home lunches. (as also in the saying, 'bring home the bacon')

not reading it as

Most teachers bring home lunches ='home lunches' = home-made lunches.

But, at least where I am, the direct object usually immediately follows the verb, as in 'bring friends home' and 'bring the car home'.
And I think the original poster meant 'home-made lunches' when (s)he said "home lunches".

To me, "bring home the bacon" is an exception to the rule.

2006

[susiedqq]

Most teachers bring lunch to school.

(It's assumed that the lunch was prepared at home, then brought to school.)

Did you bring lunch?
Let's do lunch.
Have you had lunch?
Did you make lunch?
Want to do lunch?
Do you have a lunch today?