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When have we eaten from the same dish?

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Boys eating from the same piece of fruit

When have we eaten from the same dish? (Spanish: ¿Cuándo hemos comido en el mismo plato?) is a Spanish idiom about someone who has "taken too many liberties" and caused irritation or offense.[1] It is usually made as hierarchical social commentary about poor manners or incivility,[2] said to someone perceived to be acting above their social standing, position, class or rank. It is also used as a statement, When we have eaten from the same dish. (Spanish: Cuándo hemos comido del mismo plato.)

Background

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Place settings are conspicuous in this 1920 sketch by reporter-artist Marguerite Martyn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

According to José María Sbarbi, in his dictionary of proverbs,[3] the saying comes from a great lord who organized a feast. At the table, the place makers required that each lady had a gentleman by her side. For each couple there was only one dish, a single glass and a single knife, even though the couples were strangers. The talent of the host was to place the guests in such a way that the familiarity between them was pleasing to both.[4]

Human social relationships and rituals are built upon food and its consumption.[5] Traditionally, sharing food has suggested a level of intimacy between the people sharing the meal.[6] The expression is used as a cutting remark;[7] when asking if two people are eating from the same plate, what one is really saying is, "are we on such familiar terms that you can treat me with disrespect?"[1][4]

Eating with one's hands is still a custom in parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa.[8] In many countries, family and friends often ate from a communal bowl. With that came a whole set of customs and expectations.[2][5] Shared food is one of the most intimate and generous acts.[9] People sit to eat with their family and friends, and to celebrate special occasions.[10] In many countries hosts are judged on their hospitality and the food they serve. Hospitality is referenced in the Quran, and in other religious texts.[11] Specifically the story of Abraham and the three visitors involves the sharing of food.[12] Likewise, in the New Testament Parable of the Wedding Feast.[9] In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses the sharing of food to highlight his upcoming betrayal and imprecate Judas.[13][6]

Variants

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Similar phrases are used in various languages.

  • German: Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, dass wir schon mal zusammen Schweine gehütet haben. [citation needed]
  • French: Nous n'avons pas gardé les cochons ensembles. (We have not kept the pigs together.)[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Dichos Populares. Su significado". Fundación Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes (in Spanish). Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  2. ^ a b Salcedo, Marisol (2017-03-26). "Comer en el mismo plato". Diario Córdoba (in Spanish). Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  3. ^ José María Sbarbi y Osuna (1891). Monografía sobre los refranes, adagios y proverbios castellanos y las obras ó fragmentos que expresamente tratan de ellos en nuestra lengua. Impr. y litografía de los Huérfanos. reimpreso en Madrid: Atlas, 1980 {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b "¿Cuándo hemos comido en el mismo plato?". 1de3 (in Spanish). 2010-11-14. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  5. ^ a b Fresco, Louise O. (2015-11-26). "Why We Eat Together". The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 2019-02-19. Communal dining is a quintessential human experience.
  6. ^ a b "Does "dipping into the dish" have any cultural implications in the Judas betrayal story?". November 22, 2012.
  7. ^ Jaramillo, Pedro (1998). Liturgia: de pobreza a comunicación. Barcelona, Spain: Centre de Pastoral Litúrgica. p. 71. ISBN 9788474674859.
  8. ^ Prakash, Alisha (November 19, 2012). "The Rules For Eating With Your Hands In India, Africa And The Middle East".
  9. ^ a b Vidal, Pau (2017-09-11). "Cuando compartir significa comer todos de un mismo plato". Inicio > Desde la misión > Opinión (in Spanish). Alfa y Omega. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  10. ^ Delistraty, Cody C. (2014-07-18). "The Importance of Eating Together". The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 2019-02-19. Family dinners build relationships, and help kids do better in school.
  11. ^ Quran 16:125
  12. ^ Genesis 18:1–8
  13. ^ Matthew 26:23
  14. ^ "Nous n'avons pas gardé les cochons ensemble". Expressions Francaises.
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