Which hand do you hold your fork in, and which way up?

If I am in the United States and I am with American friends, I eat the American way. At home, of course, I eat the European way, that means I keep the fork in my left hand while I cut the meats. To eat something that does not need to be cut, I use the fork in my right hand, that is perfectly normal.

Fork in the left hand with the tines facing down and knife in the right hand. I'm sure we learned that from the British, hah, I wonder if we are going to follow suit with the British people. Nah I think not

I could never manage to eat with a fork in my left hand. I haven't got the dexterity in that hand to do it. I cannot cut things properly, either. So, I eat in the fashion that is least likely to result in my food being flung onto the floor as it gets accidentally shoved off the plate by my undisciplined fingers. That would be very bad table manners. My husband is British and eats in the British way. Both of us have sufficient good manners not to take notice of each other's eccentricities nor point them out. Having really good manners means you must never embarrass someone else by making a fuss over their differences or any perceived faux-pas in etiquette.

Watched a film as a child. It was about the World War. Spies were being trained and sent behind enemy lines. They were taught to hold their folk and knife a particular way because if they didn't they would be immediately identified as a spy and killed. One of the agents was so nervous about his assignment and was sitting in the restaurant. He started cutting his meat the American way. It got him killed. I never forgot that scene. His fellow spies were also in the restaurant watching him and holding their breath. They couldn't say anything or else they would reveal themselves. When he was arrested right in front of them they knew it was over for him. But would it also be over for them too?! Evidently he didn't talk! So their cover was not blown. Can't remember the name of the movie.

See no reason to adopt any more Americanisms....how many US citizens, have you noticed adopting the British way of etiquette?..don't suppose Debretts have either!

It depends upon what I'm eating. Anything that requires cutting then I do it properly. For anything like a curry or a pasta dish then I completely dispense with the knife and just use the fork in my right hand,

It really depends what I am eating. If the meal requires a knife then I eat with knife in the right hand and fork in the left, tines pointing down. When I am left with something small on the plate, like peas or rice, I transfer the fork to the right hand and use it like a spoon (in spite of what my mother taught me - "Don't shovel your food! Only common people do that!"). If I am eating curry or Chinese food, I will use a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the left; on the other hand, if I am eating spaghetti or any long pasta, I use the spoon in the left hand and the fork in the right. The only time it's ever acceptable to put a knife anywhere near your mouth is when you are eating an apple or a piece of cheese country-style (and never at table!) with a pocket knife, when the slices of apple or cheese are conveyed to the mouth between the thumb and the blade of the knife.

I am a bit conventional and I still hold my fork in the left hand, but I should consider the Arabic way of eating if it becomes popular : a central plate and eating with the right hand, it would save time and water to do the dishes and would be good in terms of sustainable development.

After my brain-injury, my left hand is 'shifty'; so I don't want ANY sharp objects in that hand, ESPECIALLY when directing something at my face. I eat 'one-handed' for the most part. When eating steak or -something I need to cut up first, it's 'knife in the right hand, fork pinning it down with the left, then right-hand setting down the knife and tagging-in on the pinned-down bite'

I don't know the european way. In our filipino way, we eat with fork and spoon and sometimes with a knife if there is meat. The right-handed hold the spoon using the right hand and the fork by the left. If left-handed, then the opposite. In this way, the tines are facing the spoon. I don't know much how to describe it in english. I hope you got what I meant. If we eat meat only or anything that should be cut. Then we do it the american way.

Fork on left and spoon on right. I guess that's asian way? or maybe depending how people choose to eat with. I'd choose fork o right if it's meat. if it's veggies then fork on right. based on strength in hand.

I had no clue there was different ways of eating and handling a fork?. What is the Canadian way?

For meats: holding the fork, tines down, left hand, knife in the right. For much of everything else: right hand, tines up, but stabbing things more than scooping. Tines are nearly perpendicular to the plate. For certain pasta dishes and custom meals that I eat alone: My hands. Because it's savage and refreshing. And then I lick the plate. And chicken is so much easier to eat with fingers than utensils!

brought up in a defence family...we stick to the European way...must have been the british legacy.

At home I eat the American way but in Europe I do what the locals do. Though we find it awkward using our left hand.

O, I do the same thing. I cut any food that ought to be cut and use my right hand to hold the fork.

I eat like an American, but I also notice bad manners. Some Americans hold utensils more like chisels. It makes me think they were "born in a barn." So even among brutish Americans, there is a "proper" way and an "improper" way.

I am very much ambidextrous so I use both,.Point down when cutting and up when eating.

Facing up, but I'm apt to use either hand. I'm not generally ambidextrous except with my fork.

Im an indian and i have always been taught to hold the fork in left hand while the knife is in right hand. But in cases like having noodles and stuff, i use fork in right hand. So basically it depends on the kind of food you are having , plus your comfort. :)