To wonder why the Von Trapps have no table manners?

[LoveCharlie]

OK, so I may have a little too much time on my hands but the other day I was re-watching The Sound of Music and noticed something a bit odd. When Maria has her first meal with the Von Trapps (the one where she sits on a pine cone) they all pick up their fork in their right hand and start shovelling food into their mouths. Now the Captain, being a stickler for manners and rules (and a hotty - he's like the original Christian Grey) strikes me as someone who would insist on a knife and fork scenario.

So is this an Austrian thing? Or American? Please can someone shed some light on this cos I'm having trouble sleeping at night thinking about it

[Lweji]

It's American, isn't it?

They all eat with their forks in their right hands. After cutting up their food.

Not how my mum taught me.

[CecilyP]

Apparently the Sound of Music didn't go down very well in Austia. Perhaps this is why!

[SenecaFalls]

After cutting up their food.

The American way of using cutlery is that for anything that needs to be cut, you cut one piece at a time. It is not considered good etiquette to cut it all at once.

But yes, the Americans way is to eat with the fork in the right hand, and that's what they are doing in the Sound of Music. They should be eating in the Continental manner.

[justilou]

Most Austrians have never seen the movie and think it's weird that millions of tourists go to Salzburg to sing American songs on a bus. Also, an Austrian friend of mine did a student exchange in America and they played "Edelweiss" to welcome him, thinking it was the Austrian national anthem. They were stunned when he said "It'a a nice song, but I've never heard it before...."