# Slurping in Humans  : History, Physics and Evolution ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482 "2018-03-30T16:44:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482/1 "2018-03-30T16:44:14Z")

</div>

When watching old movies, it’s not uncommon to see people slurping their drinks, especially hot beverages. In “modern” societies, slurping is commonly considered uncouth behavior.

My three part question is :

1. History : Circa when did it become the “norm” to not slurp ? Especially hot beverages ?
2. Physics : Intuitively I think slurping provides turbulence and more surface area for a hot fluid to cool and thereby protect our mouth. is this so ?
3. Evolution : My guilty pleasure is to slurp hot beverages when by myself. Usually, if something is enjoyable, it’s because we somehow evolved to like it. Is this true ? I know dogs slurp but do apes slurp ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482/2 "2018-03-30T18:25:36Z")

</div>

Define “slurping”. How does it differ from any other sort of drinking?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482/3 "2018-03-30T19:24:16Z")

</div>

> [@am77494](#):
>
> When watching old movies, it’s not uncommon to see people slurping their drinks, especially hot beverages. In “modern” societies, slurping is commonly considered uncouth behavior.

Unwarranted and unsupported assertion.

Slurping is polite and expected in Japan when consuming ramen and other broth-based noodle dishes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slurping-in-humans-history-physics-and-evolution/811482/4 "2018-03-30T19:50:15Z")

</div>

Yeah, I was going to add that in some societies slurping is not only OK but seen as an appreciation of the food/beverage being slurped. Japan being a notable example.