# People who use a knife and fork American style: How did it happen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 4, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-use-a-knife-and-fork-american-style-how-did-it-happen/739400 "2015-12-04T13:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-use-a-knife-and-fork-american-style-how-did-it-happen/739400/61 "2015-12-10T02:31:52Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > The [American style](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_utensil_etiquette#American_style) of knife and fork usage involves cutting an item with your fork in the non-dominant hand and knife in the dominant hand, then putting down the knife and transferring the fork to the dominant hand to eat. While the practice is waning in America, there are still many people who use utensils this way. > > Growing up in Australia, I personally use the European style because that always seemed like the most obvious and natural way to use a knife and fork. As far as I can remember, I’ve never once had a conversation about utensil usage and I don’t think I ever gave the issue and conscious thought at all. In the 10 years I’ve been in the US, I don’t think I ever noticed how any of my friends use their utensils and I couldn’t for the life of me name a single person who I could label their utensil usage style. Given this, I’m pretty sure that even if I had grew up in the US, I’d still be eating European style. > > So, for the people who do eat American style, did someone at some point in your childhood sit down and have a conversation about utensil usage? Did you consciously notice how utensils were being used and make a conscious effort to mimic it? Or did it happen completely via osmosis without you making an effort to do it? It happened because the American style was developed for use of s spoon and knife? Before the widespread adoption of the fork. The spoon was used in the nondominant hand to steady the good while it was cut with the knife in the dominant hand. Then the knife was out down and the spoon was switched to the dominant hand for eating. When the fork was adopted, it just took the place of the spoon. The European style was developed after widespread adoption of the fork and was thus created Dow officially for the knife and fork. Speaking as an American, the American style is idiotic and as a child I refused to employ it. I came up with my own method which I learned much later was the European method. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-use-a-knife-and-fork-american-style-how-did-it-happen/739400/62 "2015-12-10T02:42:19Z")
Just to add, I believe the prior practice in both Europe and America was to use the knife in the dominant hand and the fingers of the nondominant hand. Adoption of the fork in Europe was condemned by the church and other authorities as decadent and unnatural. (God gave you fingers, and such) It was popularized by Europeans who wore large collar ruffs and found using the fork an easier way to keep their clothes clean. (Actually, I don’t know if my personal style is exactly European. The fork stays in my dominant hand and I use my nondominant hand for the knife. Fork is preferably tines down, but can be used tines up for scooping.) ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-use-a-knife-and-fork-american-style-how-did-it-happen/739400/63 "2015-12-10T21:09:40Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > The [American style](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_utensil_etiquette#American_style) of knife and fork usage involves cutting an item with your fork in the non-dominant hand and knife in the dominant hand, then putting down the knife and transferring the fork to the dominant hand to eat. While the practice is waning in America, there are still many people who use utensils this way. > > Growing up in Australia, I personally use the European style because that always seemed like the most obvious and natural way to use a knife and fork. As far as I can remember, I’ve never once had a conversation about utensil usage and I don’t think I ever gave the issue and conscious thought at all. In the 10 years I’ve been in the US, I don’t think I ever noticed how any of my friends use their utensils and I couldn’t for the life of me name a single person who I could label their utensil usage style. Given this, I’m pretty sure that even if I had grew up in the US, I’d still be eating European style. > > So, for the people who do eat American style, did someone at some point in your childhood sit down and have a conversation about utensil usage? Did you consciously notice how utensils were being used and make a conscious effort to mimic it? Or did it happen completely via osmosis without you making an effort to do it? I was defiantly sat down and taught how to use a knife and fork on multiple occasions. I learned both the European and American style although I prefer the American style. It seems to me somewhat low class to do otherwise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-use-a-knife-and-fork-american-style-how-did-it-happen/739400.md?page=3)