跟《唐頓莊園》學英國淑女餐桌禮儀

After four seasons of being hooked on one stately home and well-spoken family， we present to you a guide to eating like a Downton Lady.

We consulted the UKs leading expert and consultant in etiquette and protocol， William Hanson， over one very fine afternoon tea to find out were holding our tea cups all wrong， there are rules to napkin sizes， and why dessert is NOT the sweet course that follows dinner.

《唐頓莊園》已播出了四季，它那豪華的莊園和談吐文雅的家族讓人著迷，為此我們給你提供一份像《唐頓莊園》里的淑女一樣就餐的貼心指南。

我們一邊喝著下午茶，一邊就禮儀問題咨詢了英國的頂級專家和顧問威廉·漢森，結果發現我們拿杯子的方式都錯了。還有很多規矩，如餐巾的尺寸以及甜點并非晚餐正餐后甜點的原因。

Table posture

坐姿

Your back should never touch the chair. One must sit straight and bring the food to your mouth. No matter how crumbly the pastry is， never lean down to the dish. The only exception is when you drink soup —you can gently bow your head ever so slightly.

后背不要碰到椅子上。必須坐直把食物送入嘴中。無論糕點多么松脆易碎，也不要低頭在盤子里吃。唯一的例外是喝湯的時候——這時你可以輕輕地低下頭。

Napkin maths

餐巾的尺寸

There are sizes you know. Use a 17-20 inch napkin for lunch， a 12 inch napkin for tea， a 26 inch napkin for dinner and a 6-9 inch napkin for cocktails.

餐巾有很多尺寸。午飯時用17-20英寸的餐巾，下午茶時用12英寸的餐巾，晚飯時用26英寸的餐巾，雞尾酒會上用6-9英寸的餐巾。

Consumption pace

吃飯的節奏

Loo breaks are unfortunately not an option. Most dinners will last an average of 2 hours so you will have to drink in moderation to prevent the need to go.

很遺憾，晚餐時一般不能去洗手間。大部分的晚餐都會持續兩小時左右，所以你要適度飲食，以免中途需要去洗手間。

No compliments

不要恭維

You shouldnt pass comment on the food （because it was cooked by the chef not the Lady of the house）， on the way your host is dressed （because it was a given that she looked nice） or décor （it would give away your status if you were not used to fine interiors）.

不要贊美食物（因為食物是廚師做的，而不是女主人做的），也不要贊美主人的著裝（因為默認她看上去不錯）或屋內的裝飾（如果你不習慣精美的室內環境，這會暴露你的地位）。

Seating plan

座位安排

Women dominate at Downton Abbey but traditionally guests would be seated in a boy-girl-boy-girl order. Married couples would be split because it was assumed they spent enough time with each other and engaged couples were sat together so that they could talk in a chaperoned setting.

《唐頓莊園》中以女士為主，但傳統是賓客以男—女—男—女的順序就座。已婚夫婦會被分開，因為通常認為他們待在一起的時間已夠長了。訂婚了的夫婦被安排坐在一起，這樣他們可以在監護人的陪伴下交談。

Suitable conversation

適宜的談話

Never talk about money， work， sex， health， politics or religion on the table. The Dowager is a good regulator of this. Conversation at afternoon tea in particular should be light to go with the light meal.

不要在桌上談論金錢、工作、性、健康狀況、政治或宗教信仰。《唐頓莊園》中的老夫人就很會調整對話的節奏。下午茶的談話尤其要適合便餐輕松的氛圍。