The first association that occurs when pronouncing the word “fork” is the cutlery. Then other meanings are recalled, of which there are not so few. What is the meaning of this word and where did it come from in Russian? We will try to answer these simple and at the same time entertaining questions using sensible dictionaries and historical facts.
A fork ─ it's a little pitchfork
In a general sense, a fork is called everything that has a branched, usually in two directions form. For example: a fork in the road, a thymus, a fork for a bicycle, a fork-shaped tail of a swallow. By the way, the very first forks used to chop pieces of meat had only two teeth. The origin of the word “plug” is easy to explain. It is enough to imagine the instrument by which the peasants collect and stack hay.
A fork is a diminutive form of the word “pitchfork”. Initially, in Russia, cutlery of this kind was called Wilts or slingshots, only by the middle of the XVIII century the name was familiar to the fork, which was familiar to modern people. In turn, the word "pitchfork" is formed from the verb "twist" by adding to the root of the suffix "l".
The history of the appearance of a fork in the ancient world
The first forks, according to historical documents, appeared in 1072 in Constantinople, thanks to the Byzantine princess Mary. It seemed humiliating to a senior person to take food from a common dish with her hands. The court masters made a cutlery with a long handle and two teeth for the capricious young lady. Some researchers believe that the sketches for creating a fork Princess Maria painted herself.
There is historical evidence that prototypes of modern forks, only of very large sizes, were used in ancient Greece to remove fried carcasses of animals and birds from skewers. In the 7th century, more compact but still uncomfortable forks began to be served at the court of the Turkish Sultan. This innovation has not received much distribution.
In the countries of the Ancient East, the meaning of the word “fork” has been known since the middle of the 9th century. It was then that two-toothed metal bastards appeared for pricking meat, vegetables and fruits. The straight form without any bends did not allow the use of a fork in everyday meals. Therefore, this tableware was forgotten until the XIV century. And today, most eastern peoples have a custom to handle hard or loose dishes with their fingers.
The subject of high culture and luxury
In Western Europe, a fork, a spoon and a knife became indispensable attributes of feasts at the beginning of the 17th century. Before, fatty foods were taken simply by hands, periodically washing the palms in special bowls. In wealthy families, it was customary to sit at the table in gloves that were thrown away at the end of the meal. Aristocrats preferred cutting meat or fish with two knives, one of which was intended to send pieces of food into the mouth.
With the advent of forks, the French king Charles V issued a decree prohibiting representatives of the court nobility from eating with a knife, in order to enhance the culture of their subjects. Ordinary people considered forks to be luxury goods and did not use them in everyday life. For a long time, the forks were two-toothed, then trident, and only in the VIII century in Germany began to produce cutlery with four teeth.
The first forks in Russia
A cutlery similar to a modern fork was brought to Russia in 1606 and was first used during a feast at the wedding of the impostor False Dmitry the First and the Polish noblewoman Marina Mniszek. According to historical records, this behavior of the royal people caused outrage not only among the common people, but also among the nobility. The "horned" fork was considered a devilish item.
Only in the XVIII century, the fork began to timidly enter the everyday life of Russian nobles, thanks to the perseverance of Peter I, who, as you know, adored everything European. In ordinary families, a fork remained a vicious, uncomfortable and unnecessary object for a long time, a spoon was the main tool for food. Until the beginning of the 20th century, cutlery objectionable to the common people was used extremely rarely; after the Revolution, the fork, as they say, went out into the masses.
Different forks are needed, all kinds of forks are important
In addition to the cutlery, the word “fork” can mean any other device that has a branch in its design.
The most famous combination is “plug ─ socket”. Today, home appliances are in any home, so the device at the end of the wire with two (or several) contacts used to connect the refrigerator, TV, computer or vacuum cleaner to the mains is familiar to all of us. A pair of “plug ─ socket” is also used to create radio and telephone connections.
Clutch fork ─ a lever in a manual gearbox of a car, designed to divert the pressure plate.
A knitting fork is the simplest device consisting of two metal longitudinal rods and a pair of transverse plastic crossbars. The device is used for hand-knitting scarves and other items of clothing that have straight panels.
Fork for a bicycle, moped or motorcycle ─ a part in the front or rear of a two-wheeled vehicle, used to fasten the wheels and is an element of the steering.
Forks that cannot be touched
The word “plug” is often used in relation to some actions or processes that have a dual meaning.
Chess fork ─ the situation on the chessboard, when two pieces of the other player appear under the battle of a piece of one of the opponents. For example, a horse can be aimed at both the king and the rook, the bishop at the king and queen, etc. Such a combination is also called a double strike.
In military affairs, the “plug” is a combat maneuver with deliberate shelling of the enemy from different sides without hitting the target. Thus, a group of people or equipment is deprived of the ability to move in the direction of fire.
The betting fork implies a situation when a player makes bets in different offices on all possible outcomes of a match in order to obtain a guaranteed win.
Folk superstitions related to forks
Despite the fact that the fork is a common item on our tables in everyday life, these cutlery is still not accepted by the Orthodox Church. Therefore, they cannot be used at funeral feasts.
A fork on the floor portends the arrival of an angry, grumpy woman in the house.
In the villages, mistresses are careful not to stir sour cream with a fork or spread butter on bread. It is believed that after this, the cow may lose milk.
It is not recommended to give forks to family and friends. Such a present will be an expression of superiority and arrogance towards a loved one.