Cutlery

[reveal]

In the Philippines, I learned the art of holding a spoon in my right hand and using the back of a fork, held in my left hand, to push things, like vegetables, onto the spoon. I still do it, even though it's been 14 years since I was there. I don't see too many other people do that.

 

[Roadkill101]

1. Ohio, USA
2. Right handed
3-5. I use either left or right hand, w/out transfering utensils from hand to hand.
6. Again, I use either the left or right hand.
I also have no problems with my elbows on the table, or anyone elses. As a young soldier going through an orientation program for being new in a foreign country (Deutschland, in this case), I was told such behavior is not considered bad table manners. Had something to do with going back to medieval times and keeping your knife out in plain sight where everyone could see what you were doing with it (apparently assasination at the dinner table was something considered as bad table manners at the time, go figure ).
My mother has told me, that before I started Kindergarten, I was predominately left handed, but the teacher was "old school" and insisted (i.e. made) the children use thier right hands when using writing implements.
Oddly enough, I write (i.e. cursive) with either hand, when writing backwards (that would be right to left with the letters facing 180*, read as normal when held facing a mirror). However, writing normally, it's best I stick to the right hand because anything produced from the left is barely legible (not that my handwriting is all that legible to begin, unless backwards because I have to slow down and think about what I'm doing). BTW, I don't recomend writing anyone you may know in prison, by writing backwards, such missives tend to be returned to the sender as the mail sniffers consider it to be in/a "code."

 

[Fenris]

I was startled by something I came across in a novel the other day. Someone identified a person as 'impersonating an American' by the way he handled a knife and fork.

The person in question had the accent, the in-jokes, etc, but he ate 'in the Continental fashion'.

I'm interested to know:

1. Are you left- or right-handed?
2. Where are you from?
3. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, cutting a steak?
4. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, eating a steak?
5. Which hand do you hold your fork in while, say, eating a piece of cheesecake?
6. Which hand do you hold your spoon in while, say, eating a bowl of cereal?

For my part, I'm a right-hander from New Zealand. I hold my knife in my right hand; I'll cut a bite-sized piece of meat, lift it to my mouth with the fork in my left, then repeat the process for the next bite.

If I'm not using a knife, though, I'll hold the fork or spoon in my right.

Left-handers I know do exactly the same with knife and fork - knife right, fork left - but when they have no knife, the fork or spoon is in their left.

They think right-handers are crazy (it's always their primary hand that performs the table-to-mouth motion), whereas right-handers generally seem to prefer having the knife in their dominant hand, since holding something pinned to the plate with the fork doesn't need a lot of control... but if the dominant hand is otherwise free, you may as well use it for the fork or spoon.

How do Americans do it?

-Hyp.

Hyp, one more thing you have over looked. How one holds the utensil. Whether the hand is supinated or pronated when holding a fork or a spoon may also be an indicator of the American/Contiental styles or mannerisms.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hyp, one more thing you have over looked. How one holds the utensil. Whether the hand is supinated or pronated when holding a fork or a spoon may also be an indicator of the American/Contiental styles or mannerisms.

The novel specifically referred to the practice of keeping fork and knife in left and right hands respectively, rather than putting down the knife to swap the fork to the right hand, as the indicator of 'not an American'

-Hyp.

 

[fusangite]

The novel specifically referred to the practice of keeping fork and knife in left and right hands respectively, rather than putting down the knife to swap the fork to the right hand, as the indicator of 'not an American'

I think what you've learned from this thread, Hypersmurf, is that the novel is dated. Not that it's wrong.

 

[Ranger REG]

I was startled by something I came across in a novel the other day. Someone identified a person as 'impersonating an American' by the way he handled a knife and fork.

The person in question had the accent, the in-jokes, etc, but he ate 'in the Continental fashion'.

I'm interested to know:

1. Are you left- or right-handed?

A lefty.

2. Where are you from?

Hawaii.

3. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, cutting a steak?

Fork: left. Steak Knife: right.

But if I was preparing food that requires cutting, chopping, slicing, I use my kitchen knife with my left.

4. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, eating a steak?

As above.

5. Which hand do you hold your fork in while, say, eating a piece of cheesecake?

Left.

6. Which hand do you hold your spoon in while, say, eating a bowl of cereal?

Left.

 

[The_lurkeR]

1) Right handed
2) currently living in Stoned Mtn, Jawja
3) knife in right, fork in left
4) place knife down, place fork in right
5) right hand
6) right hand

Ditto, but born and live in Connecticut.

 

[Abraxas]

1. Are you left- or right-handed?
2. Where are you from?
3. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, cutting a steak?
4. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, eating a steak?
5. Which hand do you hold your fork in while, say, eating a piece of cheesecake?
6. Which hand do you hold your spoon in while, say, eating a bowl of cereal?

1. Right
2. Michigan
3. Right or left depending on how tough it is
4. Right or left depending on how tough it is - but no switching
5. Right
6. Right

 

[Hypersmurf]

I think what you've learned from this thread, Hypersmurf, is that the novel is dated. Not that it's wrong.

It's an advanced readers' copy of a novel that doesn't even get published 'til later this year

-Hyp.

 

[Videssian]

1. Are you left- or right-handed?
2. Where are you from?
3. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, cutting a steak?
4. Which hand do you hold your knife and fork in while, say, eating a steak?
5. Which hand do you hold your fork in while, say, eating a piece of cheesecake?
6. Which hand do you hold your spoon in while, say, eating a bowl of cereal?

1. left-handed (but I always use a mouse in my right-hand)
2. Canada (Toronto/North Vancouver/Ottawa)
3. fork=right (tines down), knife=left
4. fork=right (tines down), knife=left
5. right (tines down), but a spoon works better, so I generally will eat cheesecake with that
6. right.

My right hand is generally my dominant hand, but on a horizontal surface, I'm naturally left-handed, whereas I can write very well right-handed on a vertical surface (chalkboard). Rather odd, I know. I never switch hands.