Is it polite to burp in certain countries?

Question

I hear stories that it's polite to burp in some East Asian countries, that you always wipe your butt with your left hand (so you eat and pass the food with the right hand), and that all the workers on the Taj Mahal (probably badly written) had their hands chopped off they couldn't build another. Are these myths true?

Answer 1

Here is a piece of handy advice for travellers to China:
"It is rude in the West to spit, belch, shout and shove. Not so in China. Don't be surprised if you hear a loud hawk as a bicyclist rides by preparing to expectorate or a healthy satisfied burp from your taxi driver as he nods acknowledgement of your destination. These attributes go part and parcel with the merry and demonstrative Chinese people. You don't have to embrace these quirks, but accept that cultures are different. And difference is good."
And here are some shrewd observations from Wilkepedia onthe use of the left hand:
"In many parts of the world, such as Indonesia, it is considered impolite to eat and accept gifts with the left hand. The reason to this is a person who uses his left hand to eat would often cause trouble with the person to the left of him. Another stated reason for this is that the left hand is used in some countries, like Indonesia, during a bathroom visit.

A profound Arabian stigma against left-handedness dates to a pre-industrial period when paper was extremely rare and (in desert regions) water was too precious to be used for hand-washing. Because it was necessary to use one hand for wiping oneself after defecation, and because it was impossible to cleanse this hand thoroughly, the hand used for this task (traditionally, the left hand) was deemed unfit to be used for any other activity, especially as most Arabs of that time lacked eating utensils, and so they ate with their fingers (of the right hand) from communal dishes, while keeping the left hand entirely concealed at mealtime. To expose the left hand during a public meal is still considered grievously offensive in some Arab cultures, particularly in desert regions [citation needed]. Others believe that all are born with an angel on each shoulder: the right shoulder angel records your achievements while the left shoulder angel records your faults [citation needed], thus also concluding that eating should be constrained to the right hand, but that everything else may be performed with the left."

Answer 2

I think it's polite to burp in Arab countries and to use the right hand to eat with, but I've never heard of the Taj Mahal thing.

Answer 3

Not real sure about most of those myths, but in Germany it used to be a compliment to burp after a meal (may still be, not sure). The bigger the burp the better the compliment to the chef.

Answer 4

we've regulations for well mannered society. Why the regulations are the way they are is unimportant. it quite is considerable to stay with the regulations in case you opt to be taken heavily. That stated, my appropriate guess is that human beings think of burping and farting is rude because of the fact it quite is disgusting. It makes an unsightly noise and/or an unsightly scent. in simple terms say "Excuse me" softly. in case you do not make a huge deal out of it, no-one else will. that's in simple terms genuine once you're in well mannered organization or in public. the regulations may be distinctive once you're with your pals or your loved ones. some human beings will make a huge deal out of farting or burping no count what. those are, certainly, unhappy unhappy human beings.

Answer 5

in suffolk we use bog paper and can burp the australian national anthem...we never build taj mahals it's bad for the health...seriously all true so not myths

Answer 6

you mean fart yes it is accepted in certain countries as is to blow your nose I don't know about the left and right hand business but many years ago I believe the ordinary folk carried a can of water with them to wash their anus after use of bowels which thinking about it was very hygienic so no toilet rolls for them

Answer 7

In Japan, burping is not considered as impolite as it is in UK, so people don't mind as much. But you should avoid doing it if you can.
I am form Japan

Answer 8

apparently in most arabic cultures burping after a meal is a sign tha one has enjoyed their meal

Answer 9

i consider it a natural necessity to burp and if done deliberately, it can be funny

Answer 10

Yes, in Japan, but farting is out