Why do Americans cut food with right hand then use fork with right hand. rest of world uses fork in left hand?

Question

Americans transfer fork from the left to right hand to eat. The rest of the wolrd just cuts with the right and eats fork in left. When did our tradition change and why?

Answer 1

I'm American and do it the traditional way.

I'm extaordinarily gifted. It evidently takes alot of skill to raise a fork to your mouth with your left hand. Either that, or I'm a fatty that doesn't want to take the extra time to switch hands. You decide.

Answer 2

Americans are different we like tk do things differently it sets us apart from the rest of the world and its considered the proper way to eat here

Answer 3

SOME Americans cut food with one hand and use a fork with the same hand. They do that because it is considered a gracious mannerism, taking a bit more time between bites of food.
As for the rest of the world, many cultures do not use flatware and some others do not use forks.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, but since we're in the category of Etiquette, it is always polite to make your guests feel comfortable, no matter what customs they use. Good luck !

Answer 4

I'm American and i do cut food with my right hand and then transfer the knife to my left hand and use the fork in my right hand but it is because i am right handed. I do have friends who are left handed and they use their fork in their left hand. I don't think it's an American thing i think it depends on what your dominate hand happens to be.

Answer 5

I wouldn't say that the "rest of the world" uses their left hands for that. Many countries reserve the left hand for "bathroom duties" so to eat with one's left hand is considered improper or unclean.

I, myself, happen to be a left-handed American, so I cut my food with knife in right hand and fork in left hand...the fork stays in my left hand the whole time. Were I to try to use my right hand for fork use I would stab myself in the cheek.

Answer 6

Good question. I'm not aware of the historical basis. I usually eat with the fork in my right hand, but when I cut I use the left.

Answer 7

its basically the hand you use more, and i think most people in the US is right handed, i have a friend who is left handed and he eats,holds his fork with his left hand. so i don't see how it could be a tradition to eat with the right hand.

Answer 8

I dont know!! its weird. Something i only noticed after moving to the states 7 years ago. Its as funny to me as it is to my friends who always comment that i still hold my fork with my left hand.

Answer 9

well, i'm left handed so i eat with my fork on the left and knife on the right

Answer 10

I'm not American, but I do that, because I'm a very right-hand dominant person and I look clumsy using a knife or fork in my left hand :)