Centuries old Etiquette manuals, dating all the way back to the 1600s, made its way as a cultural necessity in the 18th Century. From Emily Post's manner manuals (1922) to The Maxims of the Ptahhotep (24th Century BC), every civilization presented its own version of societal etiquettes. However, it's not the position of the forks or the expected chivalry we are concerned with today.
For now let's zone into something very specific: Were there any secrets hiding in plain sight at Afternoon Tea?
There's a lot of speculation regarding the position of the little finger when picking up a teacup. Naturally, the who's who in the etiquette world can't seem to agree upon one particular position for this finger. Our first stop of course, was to check out what Emily Post had to say: "...curls her little finger over the handle of her teacup".
However, Dr. Raymond Tallis recalls a vivid memory from his childhood: The U's and non-U's of conducting oneself in society. How one held a teacup at a social gathering, said a great deal about their social status.
To be “U,” the little finger should never touch the handle of the teacup; it should be “well free of the other fingers, waving in a space beyond the angle between cup and handle.”
The little finger also happens to be the bearer of the signet ring in many aristocratic families. As Walter Sorell comments, "The elevated little finger bespeaks a deeply imbedded wish to distinguish oneself from others; it occurs in both male and female hands. In its allegorical translation, it is a finger which desires to be remarkable and pretends not to have anything to do with the other fingers."
But why am I so concerned with this tiny inconspicuous member of the family of digits?
A rumor has it that the trend of flaunting this wandering pinkie, dates back to a time when a syphilis outbreak happened among the aristocrats, rendering them unable to bend their digits. Very soon, infected members would often find others to sleep with by keeping an eye out for wandering pinkies.
Eventually, as many trends follow the pathway from the Titled to the General Masses, people began adopting this new behavior they mistook as etiquette. Soon, it made its way from Europe to the rest of the world. Whatever its tale, the wandering pinkie now stands as a fashion icon, embraced by many, who barely knew of its history.
Flatt, A.E. (2005). The troubles with pinkies. BUMC Proceedings. 18:341–344.
Post, Emily (1922). Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home. New York: Funk and Wagnalls.
Ptahhotep. ( 2375–2350 BC). Maxims of Ptahhotep.
Sorell W. (1967). The Story of the Human Hand. New York: Howard W. Sams. 154.
Tallis R. (2003). The Hand. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 169