Talk:Eating utensil etiquette

message: To the author: Great article. :-) That's what I like about Wikipedia: these little pieces of culture and cultural differences that you won't find documented elsewhere. Simon A. 19:21, 9 Sep 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Great article 

message: As a (British) child I had to ask at table if I may turn my fork over in order to scoop up food. This request was usually granted, albeit grudgingly. We were reminded of how "common" people ate (pronounced "et" in those days) by the rhyme:
He eats his peas with honey
He´s done it all his life
It makes the peas taste funny
But it keeps them on his knife.
I want to ask the question, "How does a proper Brit eat peas?" Do I recall correctly that it is with what we Americans would call a butter knife? If so, what do you call this knife? I assume it is not the same knife that one uses for cutting steak? Doesn't it seem inefficient? On another note, I've tried to eat, keeping the fork in my left hand. It feels very unnatural to me as I am not used to it. The fork-switching is used only in the most proper setting. With family or friends we don't typically bother. The fork switching is quite tiresome. Of course there are families that insist on their children doing the fork switching thing; to eat that way every time. It just depends on what people prefer. But it, or the European method should be followed when eating with someone of importance (That is, in the U.S.)Scot.parker 22:00, 28 October 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  peas with honey 

message: Here is a site the authors of this site should have a look at: . Just a suggestion and FYI: both the Euro continental method and the Zig-Zag method are used in the US, with the former being depending on envrionment seen as more appropriate in elegant settings. To be honest I have a spent a large part of my life in the US where I currently life and zig-zagging in a nice resturant is not that common. But this article shouldn't be based on people's experiences. Both methods are used in the US, as my research indicates. Please lets add some sources. Signaturebrendel 07:27, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Source?

message: This article begs for photos or diagrams of the different ways to hold and use the fork.--84.20.17.84 16:01, 11 October 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: This would still be useful, if anyone out there is paying attention... -Ellisthion (talk) 13:27, 12 November 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Pics

message: It seems a bit odd to me to start the article with the "American method", specifying that it's the style mostly used in the US,
and then go on to say that practically everywhere else the "European method" is preferred. Shouldn't the article state the (globally) more applicable etiquette first? MCSmarties (talk) 20:29, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: It's not the order that's the worst part, it's the name "Continental method". As you say, every country that uses knives and forks at the table does it the same way, except the USA. I've asked Canadians who insist that they too do it normally (although there could be a few near the border who prefer the American method). It's also the standard in Australia, NZ and plenty of other places far from Europe. So I propose to change the order as you say but more importantly call it "Standard Method" ("normal" would be too provocative). Nick (talk) 14:11, 23 September 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Article order - US bias?

message: Should the American way read that the fork is held on the *left* hand, and then switched to the right hand? 200.9.3.65 (talk) 15:23, 12 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Article correction

message: A section on chopsticks that is not in standard English (this is English WP after all) does not justify the movement of Fork Etiquette to Eating Utensil. I think Fork Etiquette should be restored. Njsustain (talk) 21:40, 22 August 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  What has moving this article accomplished? 

message: Should some mention be made of using the fork only (even when the table may have been laid with a knife and fork) for dishes such as rice or pasta which do not require the use of a knife?  In the UK at least, it has become acceptable in most circles to use a fork only (held tines up in the dominant hand) in these cases. Martin Hogbin (talk) 22:30, 14 October 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: In Australia it's also acceptable to use the fork in your right hand for pasta, but in that situation there's never a knife there. I was taught that etiquette demands that you use whatever is laid out. So, e.g. when provided with a fork and spoon for a formal dessert, it would be rude to use only one or the other.  Nick (talk) 23:01, 14 October 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Fork only? 

message: In the "European Style" section describing why Americans use their forks differently than other parts of the British empire needs a citation.  It states that the American colonies were establisbed before the fork and fork ettiquette became common usage in Europe yet other places, such as Canada, were settled just as early as the American colonies and yet it states that Canada uses the British usage.  This passages needs to be clarified and citations are needed.
:That was false information. I rewrote the origins. Please see the source for the full discussion.Njsustain (talk) 23:37, 18 September 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  American Colonists 

message: The claim that the side-switching American style was the original European style is supported only by a link to a popular newspaper column by Judith Martin (Miss Manners).  This column has no further references.  It is obviously not an authoritative source.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.179.19.153 (talk) 00:29, 12 April 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  American Style 

message: In the article Australia is lumped in with the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth with the rule of knife always in right hand, fork always in left. 
It's certainly not true in Australia -- or at least of my social stratum in Australia (middle class, Irish background). 
I'm not going to go looking for sources to back up what I say so I won't update the article, but Australian etiquette as I was taught is:
* Knife and fork generally in right and left hand respectively
* With foods best scooped (rice, peas, etc) the fork is used in the right hand held tines up for scooping; the knife is used in the left hand to help food onto the fork.
--203.202.43.54 (talk) 03:11, 9 August 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: The above is becoming more and more common in the US.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.46.22.1 (talk) 21:17, 30 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Australian style 

message: I have removed some of the the 'citation needed' tags from the European style section.  Whilst I agree that reliable sources are generally required I suggest that this is not so for something that is a daily occurrence for hundreds of millions of people. Martin Hogbin (talk) 16:51, 2 April 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  European style - citations 

message: As a born American citizen, I have never seen anyone American use the so-called "zig-zag method" (in fact the only person in my recollection who I have seen use it was Chinese). What I HAVE seen is a lot of people who, like myself, hold the fork with their right hand and the knife with their left hand throughout the duration of the meal. Are there different practices throughout the US, or is this simply a case of a generality I have somehow managed to avoid? FYI I'm originally from Oregon but currently live in Indiana. In Oregon everyone I knew held their utensils as I do. Virtually everyone I know here is from abroad, so I naturally see a lot of "European method", I can't speak for native Indianans. --GregorR (talk) 12:54, 6 April 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Zig-zag method? 

message: I think the article should be rewritten using 'dominant' and 'weak' hand instead of left and right because most left handed people do things the opposite way that right handed people do, such as using a fork and knife.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.61.127.32 (talk) 08:52, 22 October 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: The sources tend to use right hand/left hand, so I would support keeping the article in line with them on that point. Though the article should note that etiquette does allow left-handed people to "reverse the usual positions.".--Trystan (talk) 16:37, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

text: I agree that we should keep 'left' and 'right'.  I am not sure that all rules of etiquette allow left-handed eating.  Martin Hogbin (talk) 15:28, 23 October 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Agreed, As etiquette doesn't allows it. The both-hands-style require for everybody some stunts with their "bad" hand, not only for left-handed ones. 92.116.198.60 (talk) 07:07, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
thread_title:  left handed/right handed 

message: I have removed the following section headed "Mongolian etiquette":
"Proceed to grab fork with dominate hand with fork tines pointing down. Then sink tines into whole food and take mouthful bites vigorously . Quickly chew , while grabbing a beverage and wash it down.[citation needed]"
It seems to be a crude attempt at humour: Other sources indicate that the behaviour suggested would give as much offence in Mongolia as anywhere else in the world: http://www.safaritheglobe.com/food_mongolia.aspx, http://www.mongolian-ways.com/customs.htm  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.148.158.25 (talk) 14:44, 11 November 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Mongolian etiquette 

message: The style described in the 'European' section is actually the British style. In Germany and I think most of Continental Europe you won't see many trying to stick their peas onto the back of the fork. Knife and fork are both kept in hand. But it is tines down for meat and spearing things and tines up for rice, peas and the like, assistance with the knive if needed. Pretty much exactly what is described as 'new' hybrid style here.
For reference: http://www.knigge.de/archiv/ihre-fragen/die-tischmanieren---gabel-halten-11398.htm  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 217.252.125.9 (talk) 19:45, 3 August 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  European vs Hybrid vs British 

message: This article has been flagged as a how-to/guide, which is something that doesn't have a place on Wikipedia (see WP:NOTADVICE). I think there needs to be a discussion on whether this article a) fits into this how-to category; and b) whether it should be re-written or deleted if it is a how-to. I personally feel deletion would be pretty extreme - I reckon if the article was rewritten in a more descriptive style instead of an imperative style, then it would be in keeping with the Wikipedia guidelines. OliverEastwood (talk) 03:21, 3 April 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  How-to article - Clash with Wikipedia guidelines 

message: /, the version of the article that you keep reverting to is completely inappropriate. You deleted sources; added opinion, original research, and crystal-ball gazing, and tagged well-sourced information with a dozen "why" and "dubious". 
Further, you have reverted several improvements to the article that address the concerns you were raising, including sourced content that explains the history of why the styles developed the way they did.--Trystan (talk) 15:17, 8 March 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Recent revert