Table Manners in the English-speaking world

Vocabulary Key: Translations and English Explanations (Mix and Match)

In the United States, for instance, there are two very important points to keep in mind: keep your elbows off the table and put the fork in the right hand. Although the European custom of placing the fork in the left and the knife in the right hand during a meal is spreading increasingly in the States as well, the correct way is still to cut a piece of food with your fork in the left and the knife in the right hand, then lay your knife on the table and put your fork in the right hand to eat it. You should never cut more than 2 morsels at a time. Do not be surprised if you see an American cutting his food with the side of the fork instead of using a knife: this is also an accepted table custom. Small items, such as peas, are to be picked up with the fork only, without using the knife for assistance. Corn on the cob is eaten with specially provided corn skewers, but take care, it is not as easy as it seems: the corn should be buttered up two rows at a time, and then these rows are to be eaten neatly before buttering up the next rows.

Also, fingerbowls are common in the States: these are not for drinking! Usually served with a slice of lemon, you are expected to dip your fingers in them lightly during and after your meal, and then dry the fingers with your napkin.  If someone asks to pass the salt, you should pass both salt and pepper by putting it on the table and in reach of the person next to you. This person then picks it up and passes it on to the next person and so on.  The salt and pepper is never passed from hand-to-hand but always by setting it on the table. Also, you should not serve yourself from the salt or pepper when you are passing it along. It is also considered impolite to use salt before having tasted the food as it implies the host does not know how to season correctly. Also be careful of how you place your cutlery during and after a meal: in Europe, fork and knife placed parallel to each other on the table indicate the end of a meal. In the States, it can indicate either the end, in which case the fork and knife are placed parallel in the center of the plate, or expecting to get a second serving, in which case they are also placed parallel but on the right side of the plate to make room for more food.

 In Australia, table manners are similar to the States but more relaxed. They also have the additional factors of BBQ and BYO. The first is the Barbeque, which is frequently the meal when people invite you to their houses. This may include the traditional “bring a plate of food” request and it is expected that each guest take along one dish of food to contribute to the meal. Failure to serve yourself during a Barbeque may indicate to your host that you do not appreciate the food on offer. You are expected to socialize in an entertaining manner when invited to a BBQ. When invited to restaurants, beware of the fact that Australians usually go Dutch and split the bill whether they invited you or not. In the US, this is different: the man invites the woman, and the business partner who wants something invites the one he wants it from – going Dutch is usually considered bad manners. In Australia, restaurants may expect BYO, which means bring your own drinks - so make sure that you do so. By this they mean alcoholic drinks and Australians, in contrast to Americans, do expect for a moderate to large amount of alcohol to be consumed.

 Now on to England: the British often judge people by their table manners and, at the table as in other walks of British life, politeness and distance are priced. While it is acceptable to ask an American host for a second serving, in England you should absolutely wait until you are being offered. It is considered impolite not to finish what is on your plate. Also watch what you say: the British are very distant with strangers and while they love discussing the weather, even such question as their age or whether they have any children may be considered too personal. Beware of calling Scottish or Irish people “English”. Absolute no-nos are politics and religion, as they are, incidentally, in the States.  On both sides of the Atlantic, it is never a good idea to engage in arguments about either while sitting at the table.  You should also eat at roughly the same speed as the others at the table and never start your food before your host does. On the subject of peas, in England it is considered polite to squash them with the reverse side of the fork before eating them.  An additional difficulty is the subject of cream tea, which consists of tea and scones with clotted cream and jam. The scone should be cut lengthwise and then the jam should be put on it before the cream, which goes on top.  One half should be spread at a time, and then eaten. It is an absolute faux pas to make a sandwich out of your scone by cutting the scone open, placing jam and cream inside, and then replacing the top part before eating it.

Overwhelmed with all these rules? Here’s the good news: in all three countries, some of the table manners are the same: do not speak with your mouth full, do not burp or pick your teeth in public and do not lick your plate!

Vocabulary:

they differ to various degrees various several abroad keep off to spread increasingly fork knife morsels surprised instead of peas specially provided skewers two rows at a time neatly you are expected to to dip lightly napkin   impolite   it implies to season cutlery to indicate to make room similiar relaxed   frequently request to contribute to socialize   beware of to go dutch to be priced second serving No-no Host to squash the reverse side jam lengthwise to spread (on food) overwhelmed to burp to pick one's teeth in public

they are different at several levels verschieden mehrere im Ausland, aus dem Ausland weghalten, runterhalten sich ausbreiten more and more Gabel Messer Stücke, Bissen überrascht in place of Erbsen put there / given out especially Spieße not more than two rows at once ordentlich es wird von dir erwartet, dass... to put into not too much what you wipe your mouth with during and after a meal someone who has bad manners is considered impolite it suggests würzen Besteck to show, to point Platz machen ähnlich if you are at ease, then you are relaxed. It is the opposite of tense, or strict. often Bitte to share into, to participate in to take part in conversations in a social manner, to make yourself part of a given group interacting with it on a friendly level. be careful of sich die Rechnung teilen to be thought of as very important Nachschlag (beim Essen) Tabu Gastgeber to press together hard the back side Marmelade der Länge nach streichen, bestreichen überwältigt rülpsen in den Zähnen pulen in der Öffentlichkeit