when

[navi tasan]

1-He will arrive when we eat lunch.

Does 1 mean that he will arrive AFTER we eat lunch or WHILE we eat lunch? I think it is ambiguous and also somewhat awkward.

[MikeNewYork]

1-He will arrive when we eat lunch.

Does 1 mean that he will arrive AFTER we eat lunch or WHILE we eat lunch? I think it is ambiguous and also somewhat awkward.

I agree that it is awkward. To me it means "while we are eating lunch" and I would write it that way.

[gwendolinest]

In BE, we normally use “have” or “take” rather than “eat”:

He will come when we have/take lunch / while we are having/taking lunch.

(:-))

[MikeNewYork]

The British don't eat??????

[Anonymous]

1-He will arrive when we eat lunch.

Does 1 mean that he will arrive AFTER we eat lunch or WHILE we eat lunch? I think it is ambiguous and also somewhat awkward.

To me, it means that he could arrive from the moment we begin to eat lunch until we are finished eating lunch. He will arrive during that time. Also, I'd say the sentence implies or could imply that this will be at the beginning of the time during which we eat lunch.

[Anonymous]

1-He will arrive when we eat lunch.

Does 1 mean that he will arrive AFTER we eat lunch or WHILE we eat lunch? I think it is ambiguous and also somewhat awkward.

I agree that it is awkward. To me it means "while we are eating lunch" and I would write it that way.

In addition to my first reply to this question, I'd like to say I agree with this as well.