Listening Part 2 - The history of the Fork (tapescript and answers)

Listening Part 2
You will hear someone called Leah Mitchell giving a presentation about the history of the fork. For questions 1 to
8, complete the sentences with a word or short phrase. You now have forty-five seconds in which to look at Part
Two.
[pause]
tone
Hi, and welcome to this opening presentation for the newest exhibition at the American Smithsonian Society. I'm
Leah Mitchell and I'm the Customer Service Library Assistant. Today, I will walk you through a brief history of one
of the most ubiquitous pieces in our cutlery sets, the fork. Recently, I was contacted by a gentleman researching
for a play, set at the end of the 15th century, on a boat and in a port. He was particularly interested in what would
have been drunk on board a ship, what utensils and crockery they may have had, and the difference between the
eating habits and conditions of the crew and the officers. During our conversation he asked, ‘had they even
invented forks then?’
Having never really imagined life without forks, I set about finding out! This is what I discovered…
Apparently, many people assume the fork was introduced to the west during the Middle Ages, although
personally, I’ve never really thought about it. It was, in fact, invented a lot earlier than this. There is plenty of
evidence of forks being used by the ancient Greeks and they are even mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of
Samuel.
Early forks were only used for spearing or holding things in place while cutting and would have had two or
three straight ‘tines’ and, therefore, have been of no use for scooping food. Before the fork became widely used
across Europe, diners were dependent on spoons and knives, and therefore would largely eat with their hands and
use a communal spoon when needed. This made dining a non-too hygienic affair, as stews and soups were served
in communal bowls which guests could just dip into. These soon became filled with bits of whatever other foods
the guests were eating. Gentlemen would wear their hats to dinner and stand and remove them in salute to each
course as it was brought in, and the tablecloth would act as a giant napkin for all the guests to wipe their fingers
and even their knives on.
The fork was introduced to Europe in the 10th century by Theophanu Byzantine, wife of Emperor Otto II. It
made its way to Italy by the 11th century and had become popular among merchants by the 14 th. When the fork
was first introduced as an eating implement, it was normal for people to have their own knife and fork made,
which would be kept in a special box called a cadena. Whenever someone threw a dinner party or a feast, all the
guests would bring their own cadenas to eat with. This custom was then introduced to France in the entourage of
Catherine di Medici.
Forks, however, never really caught on in Britain. While our European cousins were tucking in with their new
eating irons, the British simply laughed at this ‘feminine affectation’ of the Italians. British men would eat with
their fingers and were proud! What’s more, even the church was against the use of forks, despite them being in the
Bible! Some writers for the Roman Catholic Church declared it an excessive delicacy that God in his wisdom had
provided us with natural forks in our fingers, and it would be an insult to him to substitute them with these
metallic devices. Eventually, we caught on around about the 18 th century. About the same time that the curved,
four-tined variety became popular after its development in Germany.
The fork was further developed in the 19th century with the invention of the ‘spork’! A half fork, half spoon
super eating device! The back of the spork is shaped like a spoon and can scoop food, while the front has a few
tines like a fork to poke at the food substance, making it convenient and easy to use. It has found popularity in fast
food and military settings. You can even get special varieties which have a serrated edge for cutting with!
The American Smithsonian Society has some fantastic examples of forks through the ages! Including this
toasting fork in the traditional three tined ‘poking and holding’ variety and a specially adapted knife/fork used by
Admiral Nelson after losing his arm.
Admiral Nelson's specially adapted fork to enable him to eat with only one hand. The museum has yet to have
an example of the spork in the collections, but you might find one in the café.
ANSWERS
1. EATING HABITS
2. SPEARING
3. STEWS AND SOUPS
4. EATING IMPLEMENT
5. (REALLY) CAUGHT ON
6. SUBSTITUTE
7.
8.
SCOOP FOOD
(SPECIALLY) ADAPTED