Talk:Tableware/Archives/2013

British English
In British English the term crockery is used, with dishware and dinnerware having no meaning/being unknown. I hail from Stoke-on-Trent and while it's true that 'dishware' is a very uncommon term, 'dinnerware' is widely used and understood, though the meaning may be slightly different from American usage. I'll modify the article slightly to soften the statement. --Ef80 (talk) 12:44, 28 May 2011 (UTC) - Discussion merged from Talk:Dishware Gmcbjames (talk) 02:36, 6 August 2011 (UTC)

Tableware manufacturers
Most tableware manufacturing companies are listed in either categories or special list pages. These have been noted. If a company isn't on Wikipedia and are notable they can be added as a red link. Once they are categorized, then the separate entry can be deleted. Companies can be linked on the page when mentioned in text, if the information is encyclopedic and in the context of tableware. Gmcbjames (talk) 22:49, 11 August 2011 (UTC)

Purpose of the page?
I found this page while looking for information on Fitz & Floyd pottery. I found myself wondering who would find this page useful. I think that contributors need to keep in mind a governing concept: "Eating and drinking". This can be considered down the centuries, geographically and culturally. The shifting terminology for the vessels and tools used to consume food and beverages then slots in naturally to possible sub-topics such as "ritual eating in pre-Columbian America", "fast food in 'Sixties California" or "upper class formal dining in England circa 1900". Then, there is little need to brood on the usage of words such as "dishware" if an example is cited from the place and time. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Truthordare (talk • contribs) 19:20, 23 September 2011 (UTC)

Muddled
According to both British and American dictionaries, tableware refers to crockery/dishes, glassware and utensils, OED Dictionary.com. In the UK, crockery refers to plates, bowls, cups, saucers and similar OED. Dictionary.com isn't as clear, but it seems as though the term dishware is used as well as crockery Dictionary.com, though it has tableware as a synonym. Either way, there is a separation between the two terms that isn't clear in the article.

I think this article should list different sections of tableware (crockery/dishware, glassware, and utensils), and allow those articles to describe individual sections.--81.132.198.48 (talk) 19:26, 11 December 2011 (UTC)

Dining culture in the United States?
I think there are some problems with this section. For one thing, it explicitly refers to the United States, which means it does not present a worldwide perspective. It also contains a few substantive statements that are not sourced, including: "In 1880, Victorianism had established itself in the United States, with middle class Americans enjoying the materialism and consumption of goods to express their identities." Aside from being unclear (what does "enjoying the materialism ... of goods" mean?), this needs a source.

Also problematic are sentences like, "Dining became a social event with various food dishes being served with various manufactured tableware shapes." Was dining ever a non-social event (did pre-Victorian Americans eat in isolation?)? Also, the comment about "various food dishes" and "various manufactured tableware shapes" is unclear. Did food dishes and tableware shapes become more varied during the Victorian period? I have no reason to doubt that this is true, but if so it needs to be stated more clearly and needs a source. Alternatively, does this mean that Victorians paired specific food items with specific tableware shapes? Again, I don't doubt the accuracy of this, but it isn't clear whether that is the intended meaning of the sentence.

I would propose some specific changes, but unfortunately I'm clueless about tableware. It would be helpful if someone who knows the subject well could look into this. Chalkieperfect (talk) 21:27, 30 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Agreed. This section is far more about developing dining culture, rather than tableware itself. While the former may well influence the latter, it's not even justification to give it such coverahge from that specific angle. I am therefore deleting the section. Nick Cooper (talk) 08:58, 7 April 2013 (UTC)