The history of etiquette.....

The history of etiquette.....

by: Susie Wilson Image and Etiquette specialist

Where does the actual word "etiquette" derive from???
"King Louis XIV had drawn up a daily functions, giving time, place and proper dress. It was posted at Versailles as an "etiquette" (spelled with a an accent on the first e)- a French word meaning "ticket" - to help the nobles know what to do. It brought order to court society, and the code of behavior was adopted by the courts of other nation's monarchs"
(Source: The World Book Encyclopaedia, 2000).


The idea of etiquette rules goes back to the times when people began to live in groups and understood that it was better to get along with one another that to quarrel or fight. The first rules for proper social behaviour were developed in ancient Greece and Rome. Much of toady's formal etiquette originated in the French royal courts in the late seventeenth century. For example shaking hands is one of earliest forms of etiquette. Giving somebody his hand a warrior wanted to show that he didn't have any weapons and came in peace.


Today many of us worry about etiquette: we need to know what to say and how to behave in a particular situation. Our language and our manners must be appropriate to the situation. Nowadays etiquette doesn't include so many rigid rules, but is more about "everyday living." Its "goal is to help all people of all lifestyles get along with each other." It is more about "common sense and consideration". There are rules which have changed during the centuries, for example, "how men and women interact" has changed considerably since the 1950's 
(Source: The World Book Encyclopaedia, 2000).


Each culture has its own system of etiquette and they are sometimes very different. Behaviour that is proper in one culture may be improper in another.What is considered proper in a city, could be considered improper in a small town.

We offer you some amusing stories

from the history of etiquette

Romans invited odd numbers of guests. They believed that even numbers meant dispute. Nowadays in Western countries an even number of men and women is referred - to help the flow of conversation and communication.

In the ancient Middle East, a host would pour perfumed oil over the heads of his guests. This was to mark their passage from the 'dirty' outside to the 'pure' inside.

In ancient Greece and Rome, guests at a banquet wore wreaths of plaited flowers and leaves. They believed these would prevent drunkenness.

In early northern Europe, feasts were male affairs. The men would get very drunk. Among the ancient Celts the thighbones of a bird were reserved for the most important guests. Men would fight to the death over thighbones

In 19th-century Paris, if a guest failed to tern up at a party, a professional guest could be hired to take his place.

Modern dining forks were invented in Italy. They were brought to Europe in the 17th century by Thomos Coryat. When Coryat showed the fork to his friends they laughed at the new invention. However, only 50 years later people in England begin to use forks.

Fingers are sure to be very useful for handing food, but they are blunt and they get sticky and dirty. Knives were the first pieces of cutlery to be used. The first crude stone knives were made perhaps three million years ago. Some Stone Age wooden forks may date from as long ago as 7000 BC.

It was once traditional for a male guest to be given an envelope containing the name of a lady he was to accompany to the table. The couple would then walk to the table together.

The first chopsticks appeared in China during the Shang dynasty (1600-1028 BC). They were considered superior to knives because they were used by scholars, who were more highly thought of than warriors who carried knives.