Using A Fork On It's Own Instead Of A Knife And Fork Together

[dave50]

I have seen more and more people eating in this way, especially young people, elbow on table, shoveling food in using only their fork instead using a knife and fork together. I think it looks slovenly and is bad manners.

[237SJ]

Yep, I do that. Very American. It comes from years of travelling and eating food that doesn`t really need a knife such as stir fry and curry/ pasta etc.

[AB Editor]

They're probably shovelling it in, Dave, because of the grumpy old fart glaring intensely at them across the room.

Depends what the food is. Sometimes it is practical.

[AB Editor]

237SJ - i know someone who spent a few years in the US as a young man. He forced himself to learn that diner-esque one-handed fork-only eating because that was what was expected. i.e. he'd have the piss taken out of him. This was years ago.

[Baldric]

Well out of order,
They should be using one of these
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spork

[saxy_jag]

My dad used to do that. Used to wind my mum up something chronic but I always thought it was pretty cool of him.

[Prudie]

It's called evolution. Eventually we will revert to just eating with our fingers.

[gingejbee]

Why use a knife if the food doesn't need one?

[237SJ]

Ed - Americans don`t fold their knife and fork on their plate when they have finished either. I always think that`s a bit rude but I suppose it`s just that etiquette varies around the world

[AB Editor]

Dunno about that Prudie :)

Maybe it's like using chopsticks for Chinese food - just use one fork for American style junk food?

[AB Editor]

237SJ - I think it varies here as well. I know plenty who don't know of that as a general custom to signal finishing (amongst other things).

[Mamyalynne]

I do it when the meal requires no cutting up, cannot see a problem at all.

[237SJ]

One hand for the fork and one hand for the wine. Seems a pretty good system to me.

[mccfluff]

if you are eating at your desk and working as you go, its a lot easier just to use one implement

are you happy about anything? just curious if anything makes you smile?

[Polly1958]

Wasn't there a film in which an American who was posing as a german gave himself away by eating with just a fork?

[AB Editor]

Hi Polly, TV Tropes has "Ghost"?

"In Ghost, when looking for a nuclear bomb in the press parking lot at Notre Dame, where the Pope was scheduled to speak, Mike identifies the enemy agent when he claims to be from Alabama, but is eating his meal in the Continental style (not switching the fork to the right hand to cut with a knife in the left) instead of the American one."

Sound about right?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpottingTheThread

[Polly1958]

Thanks Ed, but I think it was much earlier than that.

[Old_Geezer]

I think it is just dropping outdated and unnecessary social demands from a past age.

There are times when a knive and fork are appropriate and others when a knife is simply not needed. As for elbows, the table is the obvious place to put them whilst dining. I figure the ban must have started as someone's idea of a joke, which then got out of hand.

[AB Editor]

I thought that might be the case Polly - but worth a go :)

[andy-hughes]

This was one of the behavioural aspects that so irritated the owner of the Gleneagles Hotel where the Pythons stayed, that inspired Fawlty Towers.

Terry Gilliam, the American member of the team ate in the American fashion - cutting up food and then putting down the knife and using the fork only - the owner told him off for it!!