Summer Blog

MANNERS MAKETH THE MAN


Good manners involve treating people with respect and courtesy, and making people feel comfortable in different situations.


Biblical rule- "do as you would be done by"


Cultural traditions
Religious beliefs
Social status
Economic class


Above are reasons for manners being different in different places. What might be seen as good manners in one country, might be grossly inappropriate in another.


People usually learn the manners which fit their lifestyle, and travellers need to learn the manners, so they fit into the country they are visiting.
People with good manners are likely to get ahead in the world of business, where good manners are remembered and may also diffuse tension, in certain situations.


TABLE MANNERS: in Europe


United Kingdom

• If there are a number of knife and forks, work from the outside inwards, as each course is served.
• If resting whilst eating, fork should be at 8 o'clock on your plate and the knife at 4 o'clock, resting on the plate. Cutlery should never be placed back onto the table once it has been used.
• Food should be bought to the mouth on the back of the fork.
• Never lean across anyone else's plate.
• Must not put elbows on the table.
• Swallow all food before eating more or drinking.
• Dishes should be served from the left and taken away from the right.
• Drinks to the right of the plate, and side plate to the left.
• Fork should be held in the left hand and knife in the right.

France and Switzerland

• French bread is always torn off, not cut. Do not dip into sauce or soup.
• Must not put elbows on the table.
• Finish everything on plate before getting more.
• Always keep both hands on the table while eating, even if one hand is not in use.

Russia

• Do not talk with food in your mouth.
• No unpleasant noises.
• Small food should not be cut.
• It is polite to leave a bit of food at the end of the meal. To show the host that food and hospitality was appreciated. The host will often urge the guests for second helpings.
• Don't look into another's plate or saucer.

Table manners in Japan:

• Never place chopsticks vertically into a bowl of food. (traditional presentation for offering to one's ancestors)
• Wait until host/hostess tells you to eat three times before eating.
• Soup is eaten by holding bowl to the mouth, not with a spoon.
• It is acceptable to make slurping noises when eating hot noodles. Japanese believe that inhaling air when eating noodles improves the flavour. No noise should be made when eating soup.
• When resting whilst eating, chopsticks should be rested on the hashi-oki (chopstick rest) provided.
• Should not gesture with chopsticks.
• Never pass food from one chopstick to another. (technique used only in Japanese Buddhist rites, transferring cremated bones into an urn)
• There is no tipping in Japanese restaurants.

Example: someone who has never eaten a formal dinner can still demonstrate good manners by following other people around the table.