From the history of etiquette || Dictionary || Home

Where does the actual word "etiquette" derive from???
"King Louis XIV had drawn up a daily functions, giving time, place and proper dress. It was posted at Versailles as an "etiquette" (spelled with a an accent on the first e)- a French word meaning "ticket" - to help the nobles know what to do. It brought order to court society, and the code of behavior was adopted by the courts of other nation's monarchs"(Source: The World Book Encyclopaedia, 2000).

The idea of etiquette rules goes back to the times when people began to live in groups and understood that it was better to get along with one another that to quarrel or fight. The first rules for proper social behaviour were developed in ancient Greece and Rome. Much of toady's formal etiquette originated in the French royal courts in the late seventeenth century. For example shaking hands is one of earliest forms of etiquette. Giving somebody his hand a warrior wanted to show that he didn't have any weapons and came in peace.

Today many of us worry about etiquette: we need to know what to say and how to behave in a particular situation. Our language and our manners must be appropriate to the situation. Nowadays etiquette doesn't include so many rigid rules, but is more about "everyday living." Its "goal is to help all people of all lifestyles get along with each other." It is more about "common sense and consideration". There are rules which have changed during the centuries, for example, "how men and women interact" has changed considerably since the 1950's (Source: The World Book Encyclopaedia, 2000).

Each culture has its own system of etiquette and they are sometimes very different. Behaviour that is proper in one culture may be improper in another.What is considered proper in a city, could be considered improper in a small town.

And what about books on etiquette???

There are some of them:
• The first known guide by Ptah-hotep, a government official in Ancient Eygpt. His work from 2400 B.C. was titled "The Instruction of Ptah-hotep".
  
• The earliest European work, "A Treatise on Courtesy" from 1200 A.D. by Tommasino da Cerclaria.
  
• The most popular etiquette guide in the U.S. is simply titled "Etiquette." It was written by Emily Post in 1922. People look something up in "Emily Post" when they have a question concerning etiquette(for example, how to write a thank you note.)

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from the history of etiquette