Why do almost all forks have four tines instead of some other number? Who decided on four?
If they had five tines, you have to call it a “fivek”. And thus the “fourk” was born…
Don’t forget threeks. Many fancy restaurants have them.
Well historically forks have had anywhere from two to five tines. I think that the first implements similar to the fork were made with a single tine or “spear”.
You can read more here:
The history of the Table Fork
Why are four tines the common late-20th-century standard? Don’t know.
I heard somewhere that it was because the common depiction of the Devil had a trident with three tines…