Table Manners餐桌礼仪.doc
People who go to a formal Western dinner party for the first time may be surprised by table manners in Western culture. Knowing them will help you make a good impression. Having good table manners means knowing, for example, how to use knives and forks, when to drink a toast and how to behave at the table. Beside your napkin you will find a small bread roll and three glassesone for white wine, one for the red wine, and one for water. There are two pairs of knives and forks on the table, forks on the left and knives in the right of the plate. When you see two spoons, the big one is for the soup and the small one for the dessert. The knife and fork that are closest to your plate are a little bit bigger than the ones beside them. When you sit down at the table, you can take your napkin, unfold it and put it on your lap. In Chinese you sometime get a hot, damp cloth to clean your face and face and hands, which, however, is not the custom in Western countries. Dinner start with a small dish, which is often called a starter. Some people pray before they start eating, and other people may keep silent for a moment. Then you can say” Enjoy your meal” to each other and everybody start eating. For the starter, which you eat with the smaller pair, you keep the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left. After the starter you will get a bowl of soupbut only one bowl of soup and never ask for a second serving. The next dish is the main course. Many Westerners think the chicken breast with its tender white flesh is the best part of the bird. Some people can use their fingers when they eating chicken or other birds, but never touch beef or other meat in bones. It is polite to finish eating everything on your plate, so don't take more food than you need. At table, you should try to speak quietly and smile a lot, but do not laugh all the time. Most Westerners like soft drink if they will drive home. Many of them drink white or red wine with the food. When drinking to someone's health, you raise your glasses, but the glasses should not touch. The custom of toasting in some parts of China is to finish the drink at once, but Westerners usually take only a sip. For drinking during a dinner, the best advice is never to drink too much. Table manners change over time. They follow the fashion of the day .Beside, table manners are only important at formal dinner parties. If you're not sure what to do ,you can always follow your hosts. Although good manners always make you look good, you do not need to worry about all these rules while having dinner with your friends or family. With the development of Chinas opening-up, more and more Western culture gets into our sight. As we face with unfamiliar cultures and countries, some inevitable cultural conflicts might happen in the communication, which will seriously affect the contacts being carried out smoothly. Table manners have a decisive position in the communication between China and Western countries. During communication we will show our best image and avoid cultural conflicts. Learning and using the right etiquette will not only step up our own impression, but also promote the benefit and strife of the company. This paper focuses on the differences of table manners between the West and China, and analyzes the reasons that caused the differences.The main difference between Chinese and western eating habits are that unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine and will do their best to show their hospitality. And sometimes the Chinese host uses their chopsticks to put food in your bowl or plate. This is a sign of politeness. The appropriate thing to do would be to eat the whatever-it-is and say how yummy it is. If you feel uncomfortable with this, you can just say a polite thank you and leave the food there. Eating No-no's Don't stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead, lay them on your dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this shrine and is equivalent to wishing death upon a person at the table! Make sure the spout of the teapot is not facing anyone. It is impolite to set the teapot down where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table. Don't tap on your bowl with your chopsticks. Beggars tap on their bowls, so this is not polite. Also, when the food is coming too slow in a restaurant, people will tap their bowls. If you are in someone's home, it is like insulting the cook. Drinking Gan Bei! (Cheers! “Gan Bei” literally means “dry the glass”) Besides beer, the official Chinese alcoholic beverage is Bai Jiu,high-proof Chinese liquor made from assorted grains. There are varying degrees of Bai Jiu. The Beijing favorite is called Er Guo Tou, which is a whopping 56% alcohol. More expensive are Maotai and Wuliangye. Of course, the main difference on the Chinese dinner table is chopsticks instead of knife and fork, but thats only superficial. Besides, in decent restaurants, you can always ask for a pair of knife and fork, if you find the chopsticks not helpful enough. The real difference is that in the West, you have your own plate of food, while in China the dishes are placed on the table and everyone shares. If you are being treated to a formal dinner and particularly if the host thinks youre in the country for the first time, he will do the best to give you a taste of many different types of dishes. The meal usually begins with a set of at least four cold dishes, to be followed by the main courses of hot meat and vegetable dishes. Soup then will be served (unless in Guangdong style restaurants) to be followed by staple food ranging from rice, noodles to dumplings. If you wish to have your rice to go with other dishes, you should say so in good time, for most of the Chinese choose to have the staple food at last or have none of them at all. Perhaps one of the things that surprise a Western visitor most is that some of the Chinese hosts like to put food into the plates of their guests. In formal dinners, there are always “public” chopsticks and spoons for this purpose, but some hosts may use their own chopsticks. This is a sign of genuine friendship and politeness. It is always polite to eat the food. If you do not eat it, just leave the food in the plate. People in China tend to over-order food, for they will find it embarrassing if all the food is consumed. When you have had enough, just say so. Or you will always overeat!美国的西餐，和欧洲许多国家也颇有不同。如果您到美国旅游，赴家庭宴会或在餐馆吃“正餐”时，请先注意下列一般原则： 1. 男女一起在餐馆用餐，通常由男方负责点菜(order)和付账(pay the check or bill)。 2. 许多基督教或天主教家庭饭前要由家中一员带领祷告(say a prayer or "blessing")，您即使不信教，也请跟着低头，以示礼貌和尊重。 3. 美国人宴客，是由女主人(或男主人)先拿起餐具进食，客人才跟着动餐具。 4. 如果您不喜欢递过来的菜肴时，只要说"No, thank you."即可。 5. 咀嚼食物，一定要避免出声。 6. 用过的刀、叉，必须放回盘子里，不能放在餐桌巾上。 7. 吃完主菜，把刀和叉平行地斜放在主菜盘(main plate)上，是向主人或侍者表示可以把主菜餐盘拿走了。 8. 席间要轻声谈些轻松愉快的话题，尽量避免一声不响地闷着头吃饭。 下面请看这一段模拟的席间对话： Hostess: Would you like to have some more chicken? Guest: No, thank you. The chicken is very delicious, but I'm just too full. Host: But I hope you saved room for dessert. Mary makes very good pumpkin pies. Guest: That sounds very tempting. But I hope we can wait a little while, if you don't mind. Host: Of course. How about some coffee or tea now? Guest: Tea, please. Thanks. 餐位(Seating arrangement) 原则上男主宾(Gentleman of honor)坐在女主人(hostess)右边，女主宾(lady of honor )坐在男主人(host)右边，而且多半是男女相间而坐，夫妇不坐在一起，以免各自聊家常话而忽略与其他宾客间的交际。 餐具摆法 家庭或餐厅宴会时，餐具的种类和数量，因餐会的正式(formal)程度而定。越正式的餐会，刀叉盘碟摆得越多。本文所举的例子，适用于不十分正式的宴会(多数家庭式宴会属于此类)。 1. 叉子(forks)放在主菜盘(main plate)左侧，刀子(knives)、汤匙(spoons)摆在右侧。 2. 刀叉和汤匙依使用的先后顺序排列。最先用的放在离主菜盘最远的外侧，后用的放在离主菜盘近内侧。假如主人决定先上主菜再上沙拉，就要把主菜叉子放在沙拉叉子的外侧。 3. 沙拉盘放在靠主菜盘的左边。美国人通常把主菜和沙拉一起送上桌来，而不像法国人一样，主菜吃完以后才上沙拉。 一般餐具摆设图(午宴、晚宴均适用) 1. butter plate and knife奶油碟子和奶油刀。 2. dessert spoon甜点匙。 3. glass饮料杯。 4. salad plate沙拉盘。 5. napkin餐巾。 6. main course fork主菜叉子。 7. salad fork沙拉叉子。 8. main plate主菜盘。 9. main course knife主菜刀子。 10. soup spoon汤匙。 11. cup, saucer, and teaspoon茶(咖啡)杯、碟和茶匙。What are the western table manners?The best way to learn good manners is to watch others. Observe（观察）the way your western friends eat. This is the best way to avoid making mistakes when you are unsure of what to do. Here are some basic table manners that will help you!Always put the napkin（餐巾）on your lap first. Before you leave the table, refold your napkin and put it beside your plate.Wait until everyone has been served to begin eating. Everyone begins to eat at the same time.Sit up straight at the table. Bring the food up to your mouth. Do not lean down to your plate.While eating, remember not to talk with your mouth full of food.During the meal, the hostess will offer you a second helping（一份食物）of food. Sometimes she will ask you to help yourself. When she offers you food, give her a direct answer. If you refuse the first time, she might not ask you again.At the table, ask others to pass you dishes that are out of your reach. Good phrases to know are: “Please pass me the.” or “Could you hand me the. please?”Do not lean on your arm or elbow while eating. You may rest your hand and wrist on the edge of the table.When you have finished your meal, place your knife and fork side by side on the plateWestern Table Manners1) As soon as the hostess picks up her napkin(餐巾）, pick yours up and lay it on your lap. Sometimes a roll of bread is wrapped in it; if so, toke it our and put it on your side plate.2) The Soup CourseDinner usually begins with soup. The largest spoon at your place is the soup spoon. It will be beside your plate at the right-hand side.3) The Fish CourseIf there is a fish course, it will probably follow the soup. There may be a special fork for the fish, or it may be similar to the meat fork. Often it is smaller.4) The Meat CourseThe main Course is usually served by the host himself, especially if it is a fowl(鸡禽） or a roast which need to be carved. He will often ask each guest what piece he prefers, and it is quite proper to state your preference as to lean or fat, dark（红肉） or light（白肉）.5) Using Knife and ForkIf you have English and American friends you will notice a few differences in their customs of eating. For the main or meat curse, the English keep the fork in the left hand, point curved downward, and bring the food to the mouth either by sticking the points onto it or in the case of soft vegetables, by placing it firmly on the fork in this position with the knife. Americans carve the meat in the same position, then lay down the knife and taking the fork in the right hand with the point turned up, push it under a small piece of food without the help of the knife and bring it to the moth right-side-up.6) Helping Yourself and RefusingIf a servant passes food around, he will pass the dish in at your left hand so that you can conveniently serve yourself with your right hand. Never serve yourself while the dish is on your right; it is then the turn of your neighbor on the right. It is polite to take some of everything that is passed to you. But if there is something you may not like, you may quietly say: "No thank you."7) Second HelpingsThe hostess may or may not ask if you would like a second helping, according to the formality of the meal. If she does and you accept it, you should pass your plate to her or to the servant with the knife and fork still lying on it.8) The Salad CourseA salad is eaten with a fork only held in the right hand with points turned up. There is usually a special one for the salad, a little smaller than the meat fork.9) Bread and ButterBread is taken in the fingers and laid on the side plate or the edge of the large plate, it is never take with a fork. Butter is taken from the butter dish with the butter knife and placed on the side plate, not on one's bread.10) Other Things on the TableWhen there are things on the middle of the table, such as bread, butter, jelly, pickles, nits, candies, you should not take any until the hostess ahs suggested that they be passed.11) Leaving the TableIt is impolite for a guest to leave the table during a meal, or before the hostess gives the signal at the end. When the hostess indicates that the dinner is over, she will stat to rise from her seat and all the guests she rise from theirs at the same time.12) Various rules and SuggestionsSit up straight on your chair; Do not put much food in your mouth at a time; Drink only when there is no food in your mouth; Try not to get into your mouth anything that will have to be taken out; Do not make any nose when you eat; Do not clean your teeth at the table or anywhere in public, either with your finger or a tooth pick(牙签）, not even with you tongue.Western Table Manners (2)刀叉的使用Using the knife and ForkFor the main or meat course, the English keep the fork in the left hand, points curved down ward, and bring the food to the mouth either by sticking the points into it,or in the case of soft vegetables,by placing them firmly on top of the fork in this position with the knife.当用主菜或肉类时,英国人习惯左手执叉,叉尖凹部向下,用其将食物送入口中,如遇较软类蔬菜食品,则亦可借助刀子将食物放在叉子送入口中.食完美国人将刀子横放于盘子靠右后方的边沿,叉子置于其侧,叉尖向上.When the plate is empty, Americans place the knife across the back right-hand edge of the plate and the fork beside it, points up.英国人吃完后置刀子于盘中,刀尖置于盘内.叉子于其侧,刀尖向上.When finishing with the dinner, the English place the knife in the middle of the plate withIts point on the plate and the fork beside it, point up 自取或婉拒食物Helping Yourself Or Refusing侍者送食物通常由客人左手边送来,以便食者用右手取用If a servant passes food around, he will pass the dish in at your left hand so that you can conveniently serve yourself with your right hand.当递杯子请女主人添茶或咖啡时,应将茶碟与调羹连同杯子递过去.It is polite to take some of everything that is passed to you If the hostess asks if you would like a second helping and you accept it.You should pass your plate to her or to the servant with the knife and fork still lying on it.餐后点心The Dessert Course离席Leaving the table客人在用餐中间或在女主人表示结束之前离席,最为失礼It is impolite for a guest to leave the table during a meal, or before the hostess gives the signal at the end.当女主人表示餐会结束,并从座位上起立时,全体客人应同时起立,准备离席When the hostess indicates that the di
