Comments on: How Germans learn to eat 1.7 times faster than Americans http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/ German Quirks from an American Perspective Thu, 17 May 2012 01:46:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Florian Blaschke http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35160 Florian Blaschke Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:02:32 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35160 OK, I forgot to mention that I'm from Bavaria and 32. I just asked my mum (who is 58, by the way) and it was total news to her, too. She noted that the obvious solution would be to simply give the little one a duller, child-safe knife instead. By the way, "Kinderschieber" is a funny term, because it is quite ambiguous, it can also refer to a criminal, a "child pusher". The more I think of it, the more I get the vague feeling that I have actually seen or heard this kind of device before, but it could also be an illusion created by thinking and reading about it too much ... Anyway, I think it's a brilliant invention and looks really cool. I want one! Indeed, it looks like a miniature version of a Tortenschieber or the "money-raking" device that is used in gambling (I wonder if there is a name for it). It's really a mystery that quite a lot of people have used it themselves and still, others have never heard of it before. Could it be that many people who used it in their early childhood have simply forgotten about it or even repressed the memory? Stefan and the others: Is the trademark that you and others are thinking of possibly WMF? (On a totally unrelated subject, cool to see a Tristania fan here, Paul.) OK, I forgot to mention that I’m from Bavaria and 32. I just asked my mum (who is 58, by the way) and it was total news to her, too. She noted that the obvious solution would be to simply give the little one a duller, child-safe knife instead. By the way, “Kinderschieber” is a funny term, because it is quite ambiguous, it can also refer to a criminal, a “child pusher”. The more I think of it, the more I get the vague feeling that I have actually seen or heard this kind of device before, but it could also be an illusion created by thinking and reading about it too much …

Anyway, I think it’s a brilliant invention and looks really cool. I want one!

Indeed, it looks like a miniature version of a Tortenschieber or the “money-raking” device that is used in gambling (I wonder if there is a name for it).

It’s really a mystery that quite a lot of people have used it themselves and still, others have never heard of it before. Could it be that many people who used it in their early childhood have simply forgotten about it or even repressed the memory?

Stefan and the others: Is the trademark that you and others are thinking of possibly WMF?

(On a totally unrelated subject, cool to see a Tristania fan here, Paul.)

]]> By: Florian Blaschke http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35100 Florian Blaschke Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:07:46 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35100 LOL! I've never seen that device before either, even though I'm German, but then, there are really quite a few interesting pieces of cutlery in high-brow eating culture. Daniel: You know, there were quite a number of wacky German (and German-American) inventors in history too, and there still are, and same for conservative traditionalist American minds ;-) LOL! I’ve never seen that device before either, even though I’m German, but then, there are really quite a few interesting pieces of cutlery in high-brow eating culture.

Daniel: You know, there were quite a number of wacky German (and German-American) inventors in history too, and there still are, and same for conservative traditionalist American minds ;-)

]]> By: -- http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35004 -- Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:33:50 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-35004 Yeah I remember that I had something like this when I was young xD I'm from Rhineland-Palatinate; near Mainz. Yeah I remember that I had something like this when I was young xD
I’m from Rhineland-Palatinate; near Mainz.

]]> By: Daniel http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-6159 Daniel Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:41:12 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-6159 Food shover? You have GOT to be kidding me. I have never in my life even heard of something like that. I would expect something like that from some whacky American inventor but not from a conservative traditionalist german mind. I should know, I'm an American-German myself. Food shover? You have GOT to be kidding me.
I have never in my life even heard of something like that. I would expect something like that from some whacky American inventor but not from a conservative traditionalist german mind.
I should know, I’m an American-German myself.

]]> By: Floh http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5284 Floh Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:04:44 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5284 I'm from from the southern part of germany and I know this "thing" ;) . My father passed it on to my sister and me. I really liked it as a child and used it to build large mountains of mashed potatoes. So it really slowed me down while eating :))) . I’m from from the southern part of germany and I know this “thing” ;) . My father passed it on to my sister and me. I really liked it as a child and used it to build large mountains of mashed potatoes.

So it really slowed me down while eating :))) .

]]> By: Walter http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5241 Walter Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:48:23 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5241 Ich hatte einen solchen Schieber, aus Silber, zu meinem 1. Geburtstag bekommen. Einem amerikanischen Soldaten, der 1945 in unserem Haus einquartiert war, hat das Gerät so gut gefallen, dass er es mit nach Hause nahm, wohl um es seinen Kindern zu zeigen. Ich hatte einen solchen Schieber, aus Silber, zu meinem 1. Geburtstag bekommen. Einem amerikanischen Soldaten, der 1945 in unserem Haus einquartiert war, hat das Gerät so gut gefallen, dass er es mit nach Hause nahm, wohl um es seinen Kindern zu zeigen.

]]> By: Udo http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5210 Udo Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:08:52 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5210 You forgott the curved spoon, which belongs to this set. Yes - I know this stuff! Using fork AND knife is not for speed eating. When Americans have cut their whole meat, they have a big advantage while eating. Germans have to cut while chewing. ;-) You forgott the curved spoon, which belongs to this set.
Yes - I know this stuff!
Using fork AND knife is not for speed eating. When Americans have cut their whole meat, they have a big advantage while eating. Germans have to cut while chewing. ;-)

]]> By: Wuwei http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5203 Wuwei Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:30:50 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5203 Another bulletin from the Ministry Of Silly Walks. Lovely. Wuwei Another bulletin from the Ministry Of Silly Walks.

Lovely.

Wuwei

]]> By: kelhous http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5190 kelhous Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:54:33 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5190 Holy moly! I have been complaining for *years* about my German husband's speed eating! I thought it was a personal thing...now I see I may have been a little unfair--it's a cultural thing. Great blog, by the way. Don't listen to those foul-mouthed, grumpy Germans. I fail to see how the German tax code is at all funny when looked at from an American perspective. But speed-eating? Yeah! :-) Holy moly! I have been complaining for *years* about my German husband’s speed eating! I thought it was a personal thing…now I see I may have been a little unfair–it’s a cultural thing.
Great blog, by the way. Don’t listen to those foul-mouthed, grumpy Germans. I fail to see how the German tax code is at all funny when looked at from an American perspective. But speed-eating? Yeah! :-)

]]> By: La Mamushka http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5038 La Mamushka Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:27:16 +0000 http://nothingforungood.com/2008/09/14/how-germans-learn-to-eat-17-times-faster-than-americans/#comment-5038 Never seen this before and I'm not sure if my german boyfriend used this as a kid... but this explains his speed eating :) Never seen this before and I’m not sure if my german boyfriend used this as a kid… but this explains his speed eating :)

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