Etiquette for Meeting the Queen

Should you meet the Queen, curtsy if you're female, bow if you are male but, not from the waist. Just a lowering of the head is sufficient. 

Actress Elizabeth Taylor Curtsies to Queen Elizabeth II as She Greets Her Before Banquet

On Talking to the Queen...

According to “Debrett's Correct Form,” a book which its publishers describe as “a guide to social and professional etiquette, precedence and protocol,” here's how you should talk to the Queen of England: Address her first as “Your Majesty.” After that, you may call her “ma'am,” which rhymes with jam. 

Never address her as “Queen” or refer to her as “you.” For example, “How is Your Majesty feeling?” is proper. “How are you feeling, Your Majesty?” is not. And never, never say, “What's cooking, Queenie?” Should you meet the Queen, curtsy if you're female, bow if you are male but, not from the waist. Just a lowering of the head is sufficient. — San Bernardino Sun, 1977

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia@ Etiquette Encyclopedia

Mobile Etiquette and the Global LOL

Cheezburger Network's Ben Huh says, "'LOL' is a part of everyday life. It's a polite way of acknowledging someone."

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but do you know how it is done via text, email or tweet around the world? 

Believe it or not, LOL is now considered a word, according to the Oxford English Dictionary's principal editor for new words. Cheezburger Network's Ben Huh says, "'LOL' is a part of everyday life. It's a polite way of acknowledging someone."

Listed below you'll find a few ways in which LOL is written in other countries and languages:

"MDR" is the French language version, from "mort de rire". Roughly translated "dying of laughter."

And "חחח/ההה" is the Hebrew LOL language version. "ח" is pronounced 'kh' & "ה" is pronounced 'h'. Putting them together makes "khakhakha."

555 is the Thai language variation of LOL. "5" in Thai is pronounced "ha", so three of them are "hahaha."

"ASG" is the Swedish language's LOL. It is an abbreviation of the term Asgarv, meaning "intense laughter."

"MKM" is the Afghan language's LOL. An abbreviation of the Dari phrase "ma khanda mikonom", which means "I am laughing."
   

It's not polite to talk on your mobile in the cinema, in any language, and some mobile apps will remind you of this fact, as you learn a new language.

Which dating mistakes do YOU make? From using the word LOL to sending too many kisses, a new study reveals the biggest tech turn offs

• Using the wrong amount of kisses in a text was named the top turn off
• Answering the phone at dinner or in the cinema also made the list
• People in the south west of the UK were found to be the neediest partners
• While the Welsh were the most patient or 'hard to get' in the early stages

Using the wrong amount of kisses in a text message has been revealed as the top turn off in romantic phone etiquette.

Using the wrong amount of kisses in a text message has been revealed as the top turn off in romantic phone etiquette.

Whether it’s a new romance or a long-term relationship, sending fewer kisses in a text than a partner is considered impolite and a brush off.

Answering the phone at dinner, and having it switched on in the cinema were also included in the list, alongside texting after 11pm, resending the same text if no response is received, and emailing pointless small talk.

Using the wrong amount of kisses in a text message has been revealed as the top turn off in romantic phone etiquette. Answering the phone at dinner and using it in the cinema also made the list

The study, compiled by TalkTalk Mobile, found that over half of British men believe it is acceptable to end a relationship over text, whereas 62 per cent of women think that only face-to-face break ups are acceptable.

EXPERT TIPS FOR PHONE DATING

Do

• Keep flirting to text - don’t try and pull it off on a call.
• Turn off your phone when you’re out for a meal or at the cinema and give dates your full attention.
• Give your friend your phone when tempted to drunk call or text.
• Reply to texts within a couple of hours.
• Text a partner good morning and goodnight.

Don’t

• Finish a relationship by text.
• Resend the same text if you haven’t had a response yet.
• Text unnecessary small talk, like ‘Hey howz u’ or more than two texts without a reply – it looks needy.
• Use acronyms like LOL, K, G2G.
• Put more or fewer kisses than the other person.

The findings were uncovered as part of a study of 1,000 Britons.

Overuse of acronyms, such as LOL, were cited as one of the most common reasons a partner may lose interest, as they make the sender seem overly keen or too needy.

Good text etiquette was found to include texting a lover good night, replying to messages within two hours and asking questions to stimulate conversation.

While over three quarters of people believe they have good mobile relationship manners, four in ten people have completely misinterpreted a poorly written text - and sarcasm is the most common pitfall.

Overuse of acronyms such as LOL were cited as one of the most common reasons that a partner may lose interest, as they make the sender seem overly keen or too needy. Resending the same text if no response is received, or pestering for a response (pictured) were also deemed annoying

Dan Meader of TalkTalk Mobile, told MailOnline: ‘[Our] work with Debretts means that we’re able to go one step further towards helping out Britain’s daters mind their manners.'

‘Nearly 70 per cent of us know someone with bad phone manners - although only a fifth of us thought our own phone manners may be in need of improvement - so our top tips aim to help people weave their way through the web that is modern phone etiquette.’

Jo Bryant, etiquette expert at Debretts, added: ‘Mobile phones allow us to communicate instantly, with ease and spontaneity, but as the TalkTalk Mobile survey results show, consideration for others is essential for good mobile phone manners.’

An update since this was posted ~ After I tweeted about this article, I received this tweet below, in response  

Thanks again to @ChetnaImage for bringing us "kheekhee"

A former etiquette class assistant, Kelsey, read the post and tells us her relatives in Mexico text "jajaja" instead of "LOL" We're adding that to the list. Thanks, Kelsey!

Main article by Sarah Griffiths, Jun 2014 for Daily Mail

2009 State of British Table Manners

British table manners in a plate of crisis as fewer households fork out for knives  

USING a knife and fork at the table was regarded as an essential component of dining etiquette – as crucial as not eating with your mouth open. But research suggests the cutlery double act is being split up as sales figures show forks outselling matching knives by almost two to one. It seems using a knife and fork is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, as British families emulate the American “fork-only” dining habit, according to a new report.

“What do you mean you won't be using your knife and fork together?  And what do the Yanks have to do with it anyway!?”

British dining etiquette is disappearing thanks to the soaring popularity of the US-style eating habits, a slump in dining out and supermarket ready meals.  The report says that the increasing popularity of pre-cut pizzas, chips, burgers and pasta – all dishes where a knife is not required – is to blame. 

Read Tanya Thompson's analysis here: 

The US-style trend emerged after Debenhams' sale figures revealed that large, main meal forks were outselling their matching knives by almost two to one across the retailer's 155 UK stores.  Further investigation revealed that London stores were spearheading the trend, with customers buying almost three forks to every knife.

So great is the trend that the department store chain Debenhams has decided to launch a Civilised Dining campaign to protect the traditional British way of eating.  Debenhams' spokesman Ed Watson said the store's research revealed that the popularity of fast food is the biggest culprit for abandoning traditional etiquette.

“Bad table manners can turn an enjoyable meal into an embarrassment.”

“Bad table manners can turn an enjoyable meal into an embarrassment. Using both a knife and a fork to eat has held this country in good stead for centuries – it's one of the mainstays of being British. It's all about maintaining standards, so we want to act now before the single fork habit becomes ingrained in the next generation.”

Further research showed that almost 32 per cent of customers bought fewer knives because they now preferred to use forks on their own.

An additional 24 per cent were baffled by place settings and almost 28 per cent did not possess fish knives, and could see no reason for buying them.

“I'm sorry. You mean there is a difference between spoons?”

Nineteen per cent could not tell the difference between soup spoons and dessert spoons and 41 per cent did not realise that the safest and most well-mannered way to eat soup was to push the spoon away from you as you ate.

Debrett's etiquette adviser Jo Bryant said good table manners should be second nature – or should appear to be. “When dining, it is essential to remember your manners and to use cutlery correctly. Bad table manners may offend your fellow diners and cause embarrassment.”

The research suggested the popularity of eating food in front of the television may also be having an impact.  “Burgers seldom require the use of a knife, and ready meals are presented using pre-cut, bite-size portions, which slip easily on to a fork,” Mr Watson added. “Good table etiquette may seem like a trivial matter, but many people in Britain still regard it as an essential life skill.”

As part of the campaign, experts will be on hand from next month to offer advice on the correct form of dining etiquette to help customers at stores throughout the UK. 

From The Scotsman

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia