American table manners?

Question

Why do Americans not know how to use a knife and fork properly?

obviously i have touched a nerve here.......it's the swapping of the fork to the right hand, and then using it upside down like a spoon that irks me!

Answer 1

No they do not, they have very bad table manners.

Answer 2

There are many different ways to eat "properly" depending on your culture. Just because Americans speak the same language as you do does not mean that the culture is the same. American culture and history has developed differently than European history. There is also a more casual feel to eating in the United States when you are not doing business.
To put it into a non-Western perspective... almost all Westerners eat "improperly" if you go to Thailand. There, they eat with a spoon and a fork and the fork never enters the mouth - it is considered really rude to do so. In parts of Asia that use chopsticks, every country has different customs and a different way of holding the chopsticks. You can tell if someone learned in Japan or Vietnam just by looking at how they hold their chopsticks.
In short, just because someone uses the same utenesils as you does not mean that they use them the same way - or that one way is better or more proper than the other.

Answer 3

We're not taught properly. The only time I ever eat at a table is at my grandma's house and at restaurants. I haven't got a clue which side of the plate the fork, spoon, and knife goes on and I could care less. I most likely don't eat "properly" but I don't just shovel it into my mouth, I say please and thank you, I never reach over some one for anything, and no one has ever complained about my table manners so I don't think I'm doing too badly. The ones we need to worry about are the people who think it charming to have belching contests in the middle of a restaurant.

Answer 4

Unless I'm using a knife to cut a piece of meat (steak or pork chops, for example) I cut things with my fork (in my right hand) and eat it using my right hand. In other words, my fork stays in my right hand at all times. If I'm cutting something that requires a knife, I'll hold the fork (tines pointing down) in my left hand, slice the food with the knife in my right hand, and pierce the food and eat it (fork still in my left hand). This is the way I was taught...what's wrong with doing things this way? At least I don't eat with my elbows on the table, chew with my mouth open, or talk with a mouthful of food!

Answer 5

I have table manners. My family has been taught to know which side the Fork and Spoon and Knife goes on, and We know how to use a Fork and knife.
American's do have different ways to do stuff then people in Europe.
And We don't shovel food into our mouths..Thank you.

Answer 6

Well, I've seen many many people that do not know anything about table etiquette, but it is because they have not been taught.
Families put such a premium on busy-ness anymore, that actually setting a table for dinner and sitting down as a family is almost "old fashioned"
I do make a point to teach my children these simple things.
But as for "properly"
There are many "proper" ways to handle a knife and fork when eating, depending on where you live.
One shouldn't attack their food with the utensils, nor should they hold them with fists, but as for whether your hold your knife in a certain hand or whether you transfer your fork after cutting, there are many schools of thought on the subject.
The key is to eat neatly and politely and to not shovel your food in your mouth like a lunatic.
In which hand you hold your fork is basically irrelevant.

Answer 7

Do you know that the American way of turning the fork after cutting the meat is how some of our spies were caught in WW2?
I don't know why we do it that way, unless it was a form of distancing ourselves from our European roots while the "New World" was being formed. Since I did not have a difinative reason I gave a historical trivia bit.

I once had a comment from a French girl too about the way Americans eat with their unused hand in their lap, that is rude where she is from.

Answer 8

Every American I have ever met holds their knife and fork differently to the way taught in the UK. But as there are more of them than us, who is to say which way is correct?

Answer 9

i do. i learned in middle school during my home economics class with miss bailor!

however, i will point out, that what's proper, here, in america, is not always proper in other countries.

for example:
my father's company has had french interns for the past 10 years or so and everytime there are new interns my father invites them to our home for dinners and family time (so they don't feel quite so lonely).
the first thing i noticed was the difference in their eating techniques.
they use their knives much more than we do! they use them to scoot things onto their forks and basically hold their forks and knives almost the whole time during the meal.

americans are taught to cut a peice of food and put down your knife, then place your free hand in your lap and eat your bite. then, repeat.

they also would eat their salads at the end of the meal while we ate ours at the begining.

open your mind to different ways of doing things!!!

oh, and don't eat morrocan....they use their hands and dip most food with bread!!! ;) i wouldn't want you to get freaked out about that too!

take care.

Answer 10

I hold my knife and fork differently to every single person I know!!

I know the way they do it is probably the proper way to but when I try, I can't do it!!

I have no idea why I do this!!

Answer 11

Over generalizing about a whole country is rude. I've never invited you to my house for dinner so how do you know how I use a knife and fork?