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Dining or table manners
Around the world, people gather to eat lunch or dinner. Every culture has developed this social ritual in
different ways, so today there are certain rules that need to be respected while eating – for example, how to
use utensils (knife, fork, spoon) correctly or when to ask to be served. We call them dining or table manners.
These rules differ from one culture to another, so what is considered to be polite in one society can be seen as
very rude somewhere else!
A Brief History of Table Manners in Europe
• Most table manners that Europeans and North Americans practice today originate from the Age of
Exploration in the 1500s. It is believed that dinners became more refined when Catherine de' Medici,
who was the Pope's niece, married the future King of France Henry II. She was appalled by the fact
that French people did not use forks, and had greasy hands from cutting the meat.
• Around that time, a few more educated people, like Erasmus of Rotterdam (a Dutch scholar), had
already written about the use of utensils and restraining oneself from eating quickly. At that time,
knives, spoons and cups were shared among all those sitting at the table, and soups were drunk
directly from the bowl.
• Soon after, individual cutlery was introduced, and napkins were adopted to protect the diners' clothes.
Even today, it is a good table manner to put the napkin on the lap.
Hands Up, France
When in France, you might be advised to always rest your wrists or forearms (but not elbows) on the table
while you are not using utensils to eat. Keeping your hands under the table where nobody can see them is
considered a bad dining manner.
In many other countries in Europe and North America, "hands on the table" is one of the basic dining rules,
particularly reiterated to children. Why is that? Some people suggest this tradition started because people
were afraid of what other people might be doing under the table, like holding a weapon.
Siesta, Spain
If you find yourself in Spain during the summer, you will notice that many shops are closed in the early
afternoon, even on a regular work day. The reason they are closed is siesta, a short nap people take after
lunch.
The word siesta, meaning "nap" in Spanish, derives from the Latin word sexta, meaning the sixth hour
(counting from the dawn), which explains why siesta is usually taken around noon.
This particular dining ritual can be explained by the very high temperatures during the summer, and the great
amount of food a typical midday meal in Spain includes. These two together make people very sleepy, so they
made it a nation-wide acceptable habit to take a break from work in the middle of the day and get some rest.
Slurping, East and South Asia
While in most European cultures making any noise while drinking or chewing is considered to be very rude, in
places like Japan and China those who slurp their soups have good dining manners.
In other words, slurping your soup or noodles very loudly sends a message to the chef or the host that the
food is delicious. The more loudly you slurp it, the more appreciation for the meal you show. If by any chance
you forget to do it, the cook could be very offended or hurt thinking that you did not enjoy their meal!
Eating with hands, Ethiopia
Traditionally, Ethiopian food is eaten with hands, usually from a large communal plate. Several delicious meals
are out together in a plate with some injera, Ethiopian bread, and the guests sit around it.
The proper way to eat Ethiopian food is to tear off a piece of the bread, grab some food that is close to you
with it, and put it in your mouth. Because you are touching the food with your hands, make sure that you
always wash them before and after the meal. The left hand is considered unclean, so it is advisable and polite
to only use your right hand to eat.
No extra cheese, Italy
Italian cuisine is known for using a great variety of cheese in large quantities. Italian pizzas and pastas are
particularly rich in cheese. In an Italian restaurant anywhere in the world, the parmesan cheese might even be
freshly grated in front of you on your plate.
However, unless cheese is offered to you, you should not ask for extra cheese for a dish like pizza which
already has a lot of cheese. Such an act is considered to be an insult to the cook, so most waiters will simply
refuse to bring more cheese.
Another cheese-related rule in Italy applies to sea food – adding cheese to seafood pasta is unimaginable
according to traditional dining manners, so it is best you avoid it.
1- Finish the statements:
a) Most shops in Spain are closed …
b) Italians eat cheese in large…
c) You should always … your wrists on the table
d) Ethiopian food is usually served in a large…
e) Asking for more cheese is an insulting…
f) In many cultures, the left hand is considered…

Answer 1

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