Korean Job Discussion Forums

[alinkorea]

If you are sat at the dinner table, with your serving already on the plate, in American English is it correct for someone to say to you "help yourself" ? This is suppossed to indicate its ok to start eating. Not to, for example, help yourself to the potatoes in a seperate bowl.
At a buffet style dinner then this usage applies to British English also.

[SqueakyBuddha]

I would say no. I think "Dig in" would be correct.

[genezorm]

in my opinion "Help yourself" is overused and in most instances improperly used by Koreans...

[alinkorea]

That's what I thought. I told a class it was Konglish, as it just doesn't sound right. My co-teacher told me it was American English

[ernie]

'help yourself' is fairly common in north america, and is definitely not konglish (unless pronouned 'hair-puh yool-ser-puh', of course)... it means the same as 'serve yourself', and can be used in non-eating situations as well!

[oskinny1]

Help yourself is for taking more food. It is NOT a way to start a meal. It does not = bonne apetite (sp?). I am glad you asked rather than just accepting it.

One Brit friend teaching at a uni taught all his classes Seattle was in Washington DC.

[Zaria32]

Help yourself isn't Konglish when used in the right situation.

May I have some more string beans?
Certainly, help yourself.

Dig in may be appropriate for the under 15 crowd, but "Go ahead and eat," or simply "Go ahead" is more useful for "older" folks such as 20 or 30 or 40.

[Cerriowen]

I think that "Help Yourself" would be used in these three situations:

May I have more noodles please?
Sure, help yourself!

or

Those noodles on your plate look delicious, may I try some?
Sure, help yourself!

or

Buffette style / Potluck style dinner. Instead of waiting for the hostess to dish out the food... you should get it yourself.

Dinners ready! Everyone help yourselves.

[patongpanda]

'Dig in' or 'chow down chaps' seems a bit informal.
'You have permission to begin eating' too unnatural.
'Bon Appetit' too faggoty.

I taught my co-teachers to say 'help yourself' for 'Jusayo'.

[gajackson1]

Hmmmm -

Coming from lots of practical application, it is not uncommon.

If the plates are already fully set, and there are no serving dishes, bread basket, salad dressing bottles, etc., then yes - 'help yourself' would seem odd to commence the meal.

Buffets, family meals that start with full serving dishes & empty plates, or meals that do have bread baskets, etc. may well begin with the instruction to 'Please - help yourself/selves!'

G.

[ontheway]

"Help yourself" means "serve yourself."

"Help yourself" is never used as an expression to grant permission or suggest to someone that they may begin eating.

Under some circumstances, however, it may be confusing to the observer as the eating may commence automatically following the serving and no additional permission is needed.

In other circumstances where people are instructed to "help themselves" it is clear that they still must wait for further permission to begin eating.

This question may be as much about good manners as about English.

[Figure8]

It's been my experience that it's a versatile phrase in American English, maybe most specifically in the south and west. Obviously, its literal meaning is, "serve yourself." But I've heard it used in both the south and north of America as a cue for a group or a single person to begin eating, and not just as a suggestion that they use their own hands and silverware to actually pick up their own food or fill their plate from a buffet or group of dishes. It is also used to let a single person or a group know that they/he/she can both take something and/or begin something that maybe has nothing to do with food. Whether it is "correct" or not is up for debate, perhaps. But as far as everyday, accepted conversation in many places in America goes, the phrase often stretches beyond its literal meaning and does not seem to translate only to, serve yourself.

[Bigfeet]

The host would say "help yourself" when he wants you to serve up your own food. If the food's already served (as in the food's already in a dish in front of you), the guests usually start eating of their own accord. If they aren't, the host can always say something like "please eat".

[Ya-ta Boy]

I agree with the others, 'Help yourself' means 'Serve yourself'. I think part of the problem for Koreans is that so often the food is not divided up onto individual plates but remains in the big dish in the middle and everyone eats directly from it.

While reading the other posts I was trying to remember what was said at our house to indicate it was OK to start eating. The only thing I can remember is, "Wait for your mom to sit down." Somehow, I don't think that is a universal.

I don't think there is a standard phrase to actually begin eating.

[Bigfeet]