Asklemmy

43750 readers

1219 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

Open-ended question
Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Lemmyverse: community search
sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
[email protected]: a community for finding communities

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_[email protected]~

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

110

What's the most interesting traditional or formal politeness behaviour or table manners in your culture? Or for any service personnel, in your restaurant? (kbin.social)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

75 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I love all the ritualized behaviour, secret meanings and unexpected taboos - standing up when someone of higher status stands, elaborate rules for serving and eating, tapping the table to thank the server, never refuse a toast from a superior, stuff like that.

Whether it's about meals or anything else, I'd love to hear about any uncommon politeness standard or similar social behaviour that goes on in your location, culture or restaurant!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 31 points 6 months ago (1 children)

“No elbows on the table” is one older one. I never really got it anyway

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It is a combination that tables were too small to have room to put your elbows on and that some tables weren't nailed down to their legs, making it easy for them to turn over.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

It's actually because sailors were often looked down upon in high society and they used their elbows to keep their plate from sliding around on the table as the ship rocked back and forth

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago

My Mom grew up near Kitsap naval base and calling someone a sailor was pretty much a slur, even if they were a sailor. I don’t think that’s gone away lol