Why is it in some countries, your only allowed to eat with your right hand, and not your left hand?

Answer 1

Without meaning to be crude, because in those countries, you use your left hand when you go to the bathroom. Which is why, if you're convicted of theft, they cut off your right hand. It means you now have to eat with the same hand you wipe your bottom with. NOBODY will associate with you, it is a virtual death sentence.

Answer 2

I have heard that in some countries they only wipe at the toilet with their left hand, because they eat and shake hands with the right.

Answer 3

Because the left hand is considered bad, evil, etc. in a lot of countries.

"Some left-handed people consider themselves oppressed, even to the point of prejudice. Etymology often lends weight to the argument:

In many European languages, "right" stands for authority and justice: German and Dutch, "recht", French, "droit" (from Latin 'directus'[13]); in most Slavic languages the root "prav" is used in words "right", "correct", "justice" etc. Being right-handed has also historically been thought of as being skillful: the Latin word for right-handed is "dexter," as in dexterity; the Spanish "derecha" (also from Latin 'directus'[14]) also means right.

On the other hand, the English word "sinister" comes from Latin and it originally meant "left" but took on meanings of 'evil, unlucky' by the Classical Latin era. "Sinister" comes from the Latin word "sinus" meaning "pocket": a traditional Roman toga had only one pocket, located on the left side for the convenience of a right-handed wearer. The modern-Italian "sinistra" has both meanings of sinister and left. The Spanish "siniestra" has both, too, although the 'left' meaning is less common and is usually expressed by 'izquierda,'[15] a Basque word. A left-hander was supposed to be not only unlucky, but also awkward and clumsy, as shown in the French "gauche" and the German "links" and "linkisch." As these are all very old words, they support theories indicating that the predominance of right-handedness is an extremely old phenomenon. In Portuguese, the most common word for left-handed person, "canhoto", was once used to identify the devil, and "canhestro", a related word, means clumsy.

In ancient China, the left has been the "bad" side. The adjective "left" (左 Mandarin: zuo) means "improper," "out of accord." For instance, the phrase "left path" (左道 mandarin: zuodao) stands for illegal or immoral means.

In some parts of China, some adults can still remember suffering for the "crime" (with suitable traumatic punishments) of not learning to be right-handed in both primary and secondary schools, as well as in some "Keeping-good-face" families.

In Norway, the expression "venstrehåndsarbeid" (left hand work) means "something that is done in a sloppy or insatisfactory way".

Answer 4

I never heard of such a thing, but if it is true my only guess would be because the culture of the country believes that the only way to respect to the chef is to eat with the hand that is in line with our heart-- it maybe they see this as a way to show how you truly feel about the meal

Answer 5

You are kidding, right?

I am left-handed.

Soap and water do clean hands, if you use hot water and scrub for at least a 1 min.

Answer 6

Because you use your left hand to wash your bum.

You probably know that not everyone in the world uses toilet paper. (I personally find it not as hygenic). In many places of the world they use soap and water, and certain countries--particularly Arab nations--they "assign" the left hand to do the washing. And according to them, it's "dirty" if you use it to eat.

Answer 7

good question, i'm chinese and a lefty, some parents would hit a child's left hand with chopsticks if they used that hand, lucky me my parents were americanized, but i'm guessing it's bad manners, or the majority are right-handed and lefties are considered freaks

Answer 8

I am guessing thats why we shake hands with the right as well.

Answer 9

Because you got caught stealing and got your left hand chopped off!

Answer 10

probably religion countries. ask what hand are you using to make a cross.