logo
Table Manners And Etiquette Are Quite Different - Here's How

Table Manners And Etiquette Are Quite Different - Here's How

Yahoo4 days ago

These days, the words "etiquette" and "manners" are used more or less interchangeably. Maybe etiquette is seen as a fancier set of manners -- the kind of fork-crossing, tea-stirring social cues you should learn lest you embarrass yourself in high society -- but for most people, they're seen as two words that mean "polite behavior." But in truth, these two words have distinct definitions: etiquette refers to the rules of social behavior, while manners refer to the way we abide by those rules.
The foundations of etiquette, as Emily Post herself will remind you, are to be honest, respectful, and considerate. When you ask someone to pass you the salt at the dinner table, you're not making a request any reasonable person will say no to, but you ask all the same. Why? Because you're considerate of the fact that you're sitting at the dinner table as equals, and that it's not your place to issue an order. To do otherwise would be disrespectful -- so you say please, even if you aren't actually sitting at the table as equals. (King Charles III would probably say please if he asked you to pass the salt, wouldn't he?) Saying "please pass the salt" is the manner, while the ethos of respect and consideration that prompts it is etiquette.
Read more: Here's How You Should Be Sharpening Serrated Knives
This difference explains why some of the classic examples of etiquette you see in movies may seem bewildering to the modern eye. Does it really matter if you use your salad fork to eat the main course? Is it really such a travesty if you don't put your fork and knife in the proper position when you've finished eating? If you rest your elbows on the table when you eat, are you no better than swine in the eyes of society? The answer to these questions, of course, is no, because we don't live in an Edith Wharton novel. But these manners reflected the way different eras interpreted the code of etiquette.
The rule against elbows on the table originated in medieval times, when people ate together at large rectangular tables and a pair of elbows in the wrong place could knock over a few goblets. The rules concerning cutlery communication came about as a way to let the servers know the status of your meal without interrupting your conversation with the other diners. And the array of different forks was nothing but a way of signifying social status. Nowadays, these rules may be less important in most settings while others, like ordering on-menu whenever possible or avoiding stacking your plates to make things easier on your waiter, become more important. But the etiquette -- the reasoning behind these rules -- remains the same.
For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!
Read the original article on The Takeout.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Air India Plane to UK Crashes at Ahmedabad Airport
Air India Plane to UK Crashes at Ahmedabad Airport

Miami Herald

time2 hours ago

  • Miami Herald

Air India Plane to UK Crashes at Ahmedabad Airport

An Air India plane destined for the U.K. crashed at Ahmedabad airport in India, Reuters reported. There were more than 100 people on board the flight, Indian media outlets reported, and it crashed when taking off. Video footage from the scene shows a large plume of thick black smoke. "A plane crashed in the Meghaninagar area near the airport. It is not yet clear what type of plane it was," said Ahmedabad police commissioner, GS Malik, the Press Trust of India reported. A flight tracking website showed a flight destined for London departing around the time of the accident. No other UK-bound flights were departing then, per FlightRadar24 data. The aircraft is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. Related Articles Six Killed After Small Plane Crashes into Sea: What to KnowMultiple People Airlifted to Hospital After Tennessee Plane CrashTwo Survive Small Plane Crash in Long Island SoundMilitary Plane Crashes In South Korea: What To Know 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

Air India plane to UK crashes near India's Ahmedabad airport
Air India plane to UK crashes near India's Ahmedabad airport

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Air India plane to UK crashes near India's Ahmedabad airport

STORY: :: A UK-bound Air India plane with more than 240 on board crashed near India's Ahmedabad airport :: The incident happened minutes after it set off for London's Gatwick airport :: June 12, 2025 :: Ahmedabad, India The plane was headed to Gatwick airport in the UK, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a civilian area near the airport. Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. The crash occurred when the aircraft was taking off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge cloud of fire rose into the sky beyond the houses. Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport.

What's is happening to oceans
What's is happening to oceans

Forbes

time6 hours ago

  • Forbes

What's is happening to oceans

World leaders have gathered this week for the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France. The UN Ocean Conference takes place every three years. It plays a vital role in bringing together governments, civil society, businesses, and scientists to build momentum for the flow of finances, partnerships, and global commitments. The conference will support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development. If you've seen the movie Oceans by David Attenborough, you might have some idea of the issues facing our oceans. But for those who haven't, this article offers a helpful introduction. Oceans are our planet's 'blue heart'— to borrow the words from UN Secretary-General's opening speech at this week's conference, so their health is vital. One reason for the poor state of the oceans is that they have not received enough attention. For instance, they are radically underfunded, receiving only 1% of climate finance. With so many topics about oceans being discussed in the media, those new to the topic might wonder where to start to stay informed. After all, ocean issues can involve sophisticated terminology that may make newcomers hesitant to follow along. Here are three words you should know this week to simplify your understanding of the issues. Over 90% of global fish stocks are affected by overfishing. While the word overfishing may sound self-explanatory, the nuance is essential: overfishing relative to what? Overfishing refers to a state where more fish are caught than can be sustainably replaced through natural reproduction in marine ecosystems. Such unsustainable fishing impacts biodiversity and ecosystem health and has serious social and economic consequences, especially for local communities. In many developing countries, fish are integral to livelihoods and food security. A study published in Nature last year found that many fishermen in Bangladesh are considering changing professions as their incomes continue to fall. The researchers surveyed and interviewed 100 fishermen. Although Bangladesh has over 1.7 million fishermen across 64 districts, the findings still capture an underrepresented group rarely reflected in scientific literature. Government subsidies are a major driver of overfishing. In 2018, about $35 billion was provided in global fisheries subsidies—surprisingly, nearly 80% of that went to large-scale industrial fishing operations rather than small-scale fishers. While these subsidies are often justified by the employment generated in the large-scale fishing economy, the broader environmental and social costs are turning out to be much higher. A significant step came in 2022 when countries adopted the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. However, it has yet to come into force, as two-thirds of WTO members must ratify it. Experts at the FAIRR Initiative—an investor network raising awareness about the material risks and opportunities in the global food sector—argue that the treaty falls short, as it doesn't sufficiently limit subsidies that reduce operating costs like fuel used, which disproportionately benefit large vessels and incentivize overfishing. Bottom trawling is an industrial fishing method that involves dragging large nets along the sea floor. These nets, often weighing several tonnes, are attached to heavy metal gear and indiscriminately scoop up all marine life in their path. Even Marine Protected Areas are not spared. Based on satellite data analysis, over 20,000 hours of suspected bottom trawling occurred in United Kingdon's MPAs last year. Of the 377 the country controls, only 37 are fully protected from bottom trawling — mainly because they include ecologically sensitive features such as coral reefs, qualifying them for exclusion. It's important not to assume that all vessels involved in bottom trawling are from the UK; they also come from countries like France, and a small share of vessels from other countries. Earlier this week, the UK proposed banning bottom trawling in vulnerable marine habitats. However, even when marine areas are designated as protected, weak enforcement often allows these destructive practices to continue. Much of the fish caught through bottom trawling is discarded. These unintended catches — called bycatch — are not the target species and are thrown overboard. Reports from communities near bottom-trawling zones estimate that millions of pounds of fish are wasted as bycatch each year. While these fish may not matter to industrial fishing vessels, they represent lost food and income for local communities. About one in five fish is caught illegally or goes unreported. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing causes losses of $10–23.5 billion annually. IUU exists due to weak monitoring systems, which experts call a lack of seafood traceability. The seafood supply chain involves multiple actors, fish species, vessel types, and fragmented management, making it hard to verify where fish are sourced. Last year, groups, including the FAIRR Initiative, WWF, and UNEP FI, began engaging with investors to encourage major seafood companies to adopt full-chain digital traceability systems. The first phase of this engagement that ended this month with a progress report found that only two out of seven assessed companies had robust traceability commitments—and even these often applied to only one type of fish or did not cover the whole supply chain. Much more needs to be done in this space, but at least these issues are no longer happening in the shadows—that is something to rejoice about. One big thing to expect from the Oceans Conference is a political declaration that will kickstart a new wave of action and solutions for our marine ecosystems. The momentum the world is building gives reason to believe that the future of our oceans will not be colorless, as depicted in David Attenborough's Oceans film after trawlers destroy the seabed but bright, full of life and bursting with colors.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store