What's the point in not putting your elbows on the table?

Question

My English teacher told me why, and thats it's actually a load of bull... Does anyone know why?

Answer 1

It's a remnant from such superficial etiquettes of the classic eras of kings and queens.

(A teacher in Canada punished a Filipino kid for using spoon. It's the same ridiculous principle.)

Answer 2

I think that it's less awkward to eat with your elbows off the table and you're less likely to cause a mess with an inadvertant movement. You also will sit up straighter while you eat which is better for your digestion and makes you look more dignified. Personally, I don't worry so much about my elbows when I'm at home but I am careful with my table manners when I have guests or eat out.

Basically polite people (meaning people with money, connections etc) use proper table manners to distinguish themselves from those that they consider beneath them who were never taught better. You will have to choose for yourself where you want to fit in to the social structure of the world and behave accordingly. I can assure you that poor table manners make very bad impressions on those people that you would like to impress.

Answer 3

I think it is something that was originally an issue of cleanliness. People used to pretty much only wash to the elbows on a regular basis or before eating. ( like after working outdoors with animals etc.). So it was not polite to go putting your grubby elbows and hanging your nasty armpits up over the table. Hopefully we all have better habits now, so yea it does seem to be a bs thing now.

Answer 4

Personally I think it has to do with posture. If you are leaning on the table, your back is not straight. Getting use to sitting correctly helps build strong back muscles which later in life keep you from having lower back problems. I am sure the old wives tales behind this was simply to keep the kids from scooting the table cloth off their side as they inevitably scoot it toward them when they lean back.

On the other hand, maybe meal time back in the old days was not meant to be relaxing. As a mom of 2, I am not much of a stickler on that as I am about eating with silverware and not speaking with food in your mouth.

Hope this is helpful.

Answer 5

in our home, elbows are only a bad thing while you're eating. it just makes one look like a pig at the table. any other time it's no big deal. i've no idea where the custom originally came from.

Answer 6

It's polite to just eat your food round the table and not lean all over it like your afraid the person next to you is gonna steal your food.

Answer 7

If you lean too much weight on it, the table may turn over.

Answer 8

so when you are bored ppl won't know because you don't have anything to put your head on.