• 一般要等到每一个人都拿到了食物以后，大家一起开始吃。在别人还 没有拿到食物以前，不应该擅自开始先吃；除非那些还没有拿到食物 的人士请你不要等候，你才可以先吃。 One does not start eating until every person is served or those who have not been served request that you begin without waiting. • 餐巾是放在膝盖上的。在正式的宴会中，客人要等主人把他（她）的 餐巾放到膝盖上之后，才把自己的餐巾放上。 Napkins are placed in the lap. At more formal occasions diners will wait to place their napkins on their laps until the host places his or h er napkin on his or her lap） • 在正式的宴会上，食物应该同时送到餐桌上的每一位，但还是要等主 人拿起餐具之后客人才能拿起餐具进餐。 At more formal occasions all diners should be served at the same ti me and will wait until the hostess or host lifts a fork or spoon before beginning） • 如果你不能吃某些食品，在你作客的时候，（如果主人不是你的亲 戚，）不应要求主人为你另外再增添你要吃的食品。 Even if one has dietary restrictions, it is inappropriate for non relatives to request food other than that which is being served by the host at a private function.
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中国人向来“以食为先”，饮食除了是满足人的基本需求，亦是 秉承传统习俗，聚首饭桌前大快朵颐。设宴的原因可以是庆贺，也可 以是哀痛。每逢农历新年、结婚、中国节日如中秋节等，中国人便会 一家老少聚首饭桌前共贺佳节；但另方面，若有人离世，丧家会在葬 礼完成后设“解慰酒”，宴请出席葬礼的亲戚朋友，向他们表示谢意， 可见中国人十分重视聚首饭桌前分享喜乐与悲哀。古老与传统秉承的 中国文化造就了独特的中国餐桌礼仪，同样，西方的餐桌礼仪也如人 类文化遗产中的瑰宝和明珠，无比绚烂夺目，熟悉西方的餐桌礼仪， 才能更好地与他们交流，也才能更好得去发扬自己国家的文化与传统， 才能走向世界，走得更远。
第一节 美国
1.饭前（Before dining）
餐桌上都不应该戴帽子；在白天拜访别人的时候女士专用的帽子例外。 Men's and unisex hats should never be worn at the table. Ladies' hats may be worn during the day if visiting others. 在正式的宴会中，男士们须站在自己的座位后面，等女士们都坐下了以后，才 能坐下。 Before sitting down to a formal meal, gentlemen stand behind their chairs until t he women are seated. 在开始吃饭前，主人要做饭前的谢饭祷告，这在美国的家庭里是很普遍的，客 人应该加入这个谢饭的祷告，至少要在祷告的时候保持安静以示尊敬。如果被邀 请的客人有不同的信仰，主人的谢饭祷告不应该包括深奥的宗教仪式 A prayer or 'blessing' may be customary in some households, and the guests m ay join in or be respectfully silent. Most prayers are made by the host before th e meal is eaten. Hosts should not practice an extended religious ritual in front o f invited guests who have different beliefs.
第七章 餐桌礼仪
---Cቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱapter 7 The table manners.
Introduction
The Chinese have a famous saying "eating is the first", as the food not only meets the basic needs of people, but also serves as the inheritance of the old tradition. Celebration and mourning and can all be the reason for the setting of a banquet. During the lunar New Year, the marriage gatherings, traditional Chinese festivals such as the Mid-Autumn festival, the Chinese people will be together, regardless of the old and young, and sit before the table to celebrate the holidays. If someone is dead, the host will hold the “comfort banquet ”after the completion of the funeral mourning, which invites the fete relatives and friends to attend the funeral, and to thank them for their kindness. It is quite visible to see the importance of the unique joy and sorrow shared by the Chinese people. The old and full-of-tradition Chinese culture has created the unique table manners in China, and meanwhile, the western table manners are also the shiny and gorgeous pearls in the human cultural heritage and pearl. A person should be familiar with the western table manners, so that he can better communicate with them, and can also develop their country's own culture and tradition at the same time.
When a dish is offered from a serving dish (a.k.a. family style), as is the traditional manner, the food may be passed around or served by a host or staff. If passed, you should pass on the serving dish to the next person in the same direction as the other dishes are being pass ed. Place the serving dish on your left, take some, and pass to the p erson next to you. You should consider how much is on the serving dish and not take more than a proportional amount so that everyone may have some. If you do not care for any of the dish, pass it to the next person without comment. If being served by a single person, th e server should request if the guest would like any of the dish. The g uest may say "Yes, please," or "No, thank you."
3.使用餐具的礼仪：（Using utensils）
叉子是用来把块状食物送入嘴里的工具。不要直接用手抓着吃。可 以直接用手的食物是：面包，芦笋尖，鸡翅膀，和比萨饼之类。 The fork is used to convey solid food to the mouth. Do not use your f ingers unless eating foods customarily eaten as such, such as bread , asparagus spears, chicken wings, pizza, etc • 不可把餐具当乐器来玩弄。 Do not make unnecessary noises with utensils • 美国式的用叉法是：右手拿刀左手拿叉；右手不拿刀时，可以用 右手拿叉。欧洲式的用叉法是：永远用左手拿叉。 The fork may be used either in the "American" style (use the fork in your left hand while cutting; switch to right hand to pick up and eat a piece) or the European "Continental" style (fork always in left hand).