The continental and American Table Manners

欧洲和美国餐桌文化

陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作，他在公司餐厅里遇到了美国同事Amy。

(Office ambience)

C: Hi, Amy. 我有几个问题想请教你。

A: Of course, what about?

C: Table manners. 具体说，我想知道用刀叉有哪些讲究。

A: So you are having trouble figuring out the correct way to eat Western style?

C: 没错。每次出去吃饭，我都会犯怵，总要等别人先动手，然后跟着学，可总是不得要领。

A: Well, for one thing, there are only two correct styles of eating that the Americans use, but some people eat however it suits them.

C: 既然美国人都那么随便，那我怎么用刀叉，是不是也就无所谓了呢？

A: 你要是想成功，还是应该注意饭桌上的规矩，because how you handle getting food to your mouth is a big part of your professional image.

C: 你说得也对，那到底该怎么使用刀叉呢？

A: The two correct styles of eating are the American and the Continental style.

C: 一种是美国式，一种是大陆式。你就地给我演示一下行吗。等我去借几把刀叉来。

A: Better yet, let's go to the New York Grill after work and practice in an authentic American restaurant.

C: 好主意，那咱们下班见。

C: Amy，先教我美式吧。

A: With the American style, you hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right hand to cut your meat or vegetables.

C: 左手拿叉...右手拿刀切...

A: Then you place the knife on the top of your plate with the blade facing in. Next you transfer the fork to your right hand.

C: 等等，切完了把刀放在盘子上，刀刃儿冲里，然后再把叉子从左手换到右手上。

A: Now with the fork in your right hand, you take the food to your mouth with the fork tines up.

C: Tines是什么？

A: Times是叉子的尖。

C: 噢，就是吃的时候叉子的尖儿要冲上。那大陆式的用法呢？

A: 切食物的方法是一样的。The difference is that you keep the fork in your left hand to take the food to your mouth but with the tines down.

C: 所以说唯一的区别是，叉子不换到右手上，一直是左手拿叉，吃的时候叉子的尖儿冲下。What do I do with my knife?

A: You can continue to hold it in your right hand since you aren't switching the fork over. Just keep it close to your plate.

C: 如果想放下，是不是也要刀刃冲内，放在盘子上呢？

A: 没错。Food is cut the same way for both American and Continental styles, fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand.

C: 我记住了，谢谢你Amy。