Where I’m from, we use “silver ware” to refer to every day forks, knives, and spoons. The first time I asked if I could set the table with silver ware, my flat mate looked at me blankly.
“We don’t have any silver ware.” We were both confused because I knew we definitely did.
“I mean these.” And I opened the drawer where we kept our forks, knives, and spoons.
“Oh! Utensils!*” She smiled and nodded. “Silver ware is usually for real silver utensils.”
And that’s when I realized that English differs depending on where you’re from. To me, it seems that we discuss the meaning of different words in English every day. My chips are your crips. Your chips are my fries. Your biscuits are my cookies. Your pancakes are my crepes. We speak the same language, but we don’t always understand each other.
So we come to utensils.
In America, there are no set rules that I know of for using your food utensils. Most people manipulate their forks in one hand while resting their other hand in their laps. No elbows on the table! And utensils are left willy nilly meaning nothing except that they were left there.
In Austria (and maybe more of Europe), utensils carry the weight of meaning and both hands usually stay above the table.
I’ve taken pictures to help us both out in figuring out this utensil language!
The below image shows utensils set perpendicular to each other. Hypothetically, you’ve finished your first helping of food and you’re not sure if you might want more food. Leave your utensils perpendicular on your plate. This signifies to everyone else at the table that you’re not done yet. If you’re at a restaurant, these perpendicular utensils will keep the waiter from sweeping in and stealing your plate away before you’re done.
But then, you’ve come to the end of your food feasting. Your tummy is comfortably full, and if you’re at a restaurant, you want your plate to be taken away. This is the moment that you lay your utensils parallel to each other. This proclaims to all around that you have completed your meal. Sure, waiter, come take my plate away.
Now you know, and you are ready to eat at restaurants in Europe (although I have yet to figure out how across the continent this habit is). But I’ve been amused to see this utensil language at work, both at restaurants and more casual dining settings.
*I’ve since discovered that I should be saying “cutlery” not “utensils”.
What About You?
Have you noticed particular utensil habits in your country or even in just your family?
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