Six Odd Things #2: Besteck

[muckefuck]

#2: I employ silverware like a reverse European

I wouldn't've known this about myself if e. hadn't pointed it out one day during a family meal. For those of you wondering what I'm talking about: Europeans tend to keep knife in one hand and fork in another. They don't switch hands, as most Americans do; they cut as they go and they don't rest their cutting hand in their lap when not in use. I'm left-handed, though, so whereas most Europeans would have the knife in the right hand, I hold mine in my left.

What I find oddest about this is that I have no idea how and why I picked it up. It's true, I did live in Europe for a while, but I almost never dined out in anything resembling a formal setting. There are European customs I adopted deliberately during my stay, like writing the date day-month-year or starting with the thumb when counting on my fingers, both of which I do to this day. But this wasn't one of them.

Both my younger siblings have also spent a considerable chunk of time in Europe and/or dining with Europeans, but my sister (who was once engaged ot a Spaniard) still eats like an American. My left-handed brother (who actually married a Spaniard) also uses knife and fork like a European, but a right-handed one. Now that's just plain weird.

Comments

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

No, they generally start with the pointer finger and end with the thumb. When someone showed me the German (Continental?) method of starting with the thumb and ending on the pinky, it struck me as so eminently sensible that I immediately adopted it.

The only peoples I know who start with the pinky are East and Southeast Asians. But they don't count fingers, they count joints.

[mistress-elaine.livejournal.com]

I think the German way of counting on one's fingers is indeed the Continental way. I don't think I've ever seen a European do differently. And to me, it makes perfect sense.

I'd forgotten about the joint thing, but you're right. I've seen Thai count their knuckles. Very interesting.

Speaking of differing international habits, as an addendum to the linguistic discussion we had earlier today, I've always found it fascinating that the Chinese point to their nose when referring to themselves, whereas most Westerners will point to their heart.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

A couple times, I've read some elabourate explanation of how this constitutes proof of Chinese modesty and collectivism vs. Western narcissistic individualism; all I can do is roll my eyes.

However, it is interesting to note that the characters for "nose" (鼻) and "self" (自) share an etymology. That is, the latter is, in origin, a pictograph of a nose. When it came to be widely used in the meaning of "self", a new character for "nose" was created by the addition of the phonetic (畀) to the original character. This suggests that the association may go quite far back in Chinese history.

What I'm not sure about, however, is what etymological connexion--if any--there is between the two words involved. I'll have to see what Karlgren has to say.

[gopower.livejournal.com]

The things you learn on LJ... It would never have occurred to me that different cultures used different methods of counting on their fingers. Nor, for that matter, could I have said how I did it without actually doing it.

Unless the experiment has been spoiled by some Heisenberg-like principle*, though, I do count starting with my pinky. In fact, I find it very awkward to do otherwise. Usually to start at one end and wrap around to count more than five items, using one hand (why would you need fingers to count fewer than five?).

*After writing the above, I realized that maybe I didn't know what the Heisenberg principle was. Turns out I didn't. I meant the observer effect, though it really should have a cooler name. At least it's s common error. The things you learn on Wikipedia...