大家吃飯時，盡量不要打嗝。
Don’t pick your nose or ear while eating with friends.
和朋友吃飯時，不要挖鼻子或掏耳朵。
Never clear your throat in the presence of others at the table.
在餐桌上，不可在眾人面前清喉嚨。
Don’t scratch your head at table while eating with others.
與別人吃飯時，不要抓頭。
(以免頭皮落到菜裡)
Never push someone to drink wine; it is always up to a person’s desire.
不可勉強別人喝酒；一定要遵照別人的意願。
(老中千萬不要迫著老美乾杯)
If you ever happen to make gas during a meal with others, just ignore it.
與大家吃飯時，萬一不慎放屁，就裝著沒有這回事。
If you need to go to bathroom while eating, say, “Excuse me ” without explaining the reason.
吃飯時，如要上廁，要說聲:「Excuse me」，但不必解釋原因。
Use your spoon to bring soup to your mouth instead of holding the bowl to your mouth.
要用湯匙，把湯送到嘴裡，不是把整個碗端到嘴裡喝。
Don’t rise from the table until the meal is finished.
飯未吃完前，不要離開餐桌。
As a guest you should defer to the host.(hostess)
客隨主便。
(defer to the host = follow the host)
Don’t try to outdress your hostess.
衣服不要穿得比女主人更華麗。
(outdress是指fancier clothes)
Certain food can be eaten with the fingers, such as chicken drumsticks and bread.
有些食物可用手指拿諸如雞腿和麵包。
When you are invited for dinner or an outing, be punctual.
人家請你吃飯或外出，要守時。
Don’t be the one holding up dinner.
不要做個耽擱吃飯的人。
If you have a loud vice in a restaurant, you’ll attract the stares of many diners.
在餐館吃飯，如果說話聲音大，其他食客會盯著看你。
(美國餐館都是很安靜)
Bad table manners are a turn off for many people.
不好的吃飯形象，會讓許多人到胃口。
(3)公共場合的禮貌(courtesy in public):
老美在公共場所，對個人的公德心和品格修養，也很重視。
Try to be polite, mature and well-groomed in public.
在公共場所，做個有禮貌、明事理、儀表整潔的人。
Don’t smoke anywhere that might be offensive to anyone.
任何地方，只要影響到別人，都不可抽煙。
(美國許多州也有法律禁止)
Mind your p’s and q’s
(= Be careful about your proper behavior and manners.)
注意你的行為和禮節。
Always hold a door open for others when you enter a building or a room.
走進房子時，要把門扶著，讓別人進來。
(有些老中忽視了這點)
Don’t show your dislike of a person’s dog or cat.
對別人的狗貓，不要表現不喜歡。
(老美把狗貓，視為家裡的一份子)
Don’t chew your toothpick in public.
在公共場合，不要在口裡唅著牙籤。
Never fail to say sorry if you tread upon or stumble against someone.
如果不小心踩到別人的腳，或撞到別人，一定要說對不起。
(tread upon = step on one’s foot; stumble = bump)
(tread是踩到，動詞時態: trod, trodden; bump是撞到)
Try to be a soft-spoken and even-tempered person at all times; don’t be rude, crude or irrational.
時時做個談吐溫和，心情平順的人；不要無禮、粗魯或不理性。
(crude = rough)
Don’t drink beer in a public street.
在街上不可喝啤酒。
(這也是美國的法律)
Don’t stare or laugh at any person’s disability, peculiarity of manner or dress.
遇到殘疾者，或行為衣冠的古怪，不可盯著人家看。
Don’t taste any food or fruit in the store before paying for it.
商店裡的食品或水果，沒有付錢前，不可試吃。
／懷中
/摘自世界周刊
