In this blog post, I will examine the culture of respect in English-speaking countries and the meaning behind the expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” based on my experiences abroad.
The expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” is often heard in movies and foreign media. Until now, I had accepted this expression without any special meaning and sometimes used it as a greeting. However, several experiences in English-speaking countries made me rethink the meaning of “Ladies and Gentlemen.” My service in the US military as a KATUSA, two homestays, and a visit to the UK during my backpacking trip in Europe during college gave me the opportunity to experience Americans and British people and understand their lives and cultures. Through these experiences, I came to believe that the expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” is not simply a phrase to make the other person feel good, but an expression that grants each other status based on a culture of respect.
In this article, I will examine the differences in the culture of respect between the English-speaking world and Korea based on my experiences. The expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” actually originated in England. A brief look at the etymology of ‘Lady’ and “Gentleman” reveals that they are related to social status and have noble meanings.
Historically, they also referred to those who had the right to vote, and as a result, with the granting of equal voting rights to both men and women, the expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” became established as a keyword for social manners and respect. This expression already has a social and historical meaning of respect. The United States, influenced by the United Kingdom, also uses this expression frequently. I felt a significant social and cultural difference between the United States and Korea in terms of respect.
In this article, I would like to share some of my experiences. I served in the military as a KATUSA and lived with US soldiers for 21 months. I worked with them, received training, ate meals with them, and exercised with them during my free time. Through these experiences, I was able to see how respectful they were. I was particularly impressed by their habits at the gym. I had been to several gyms before enlisting, but the US soldiers had a habit of cleaning up after themselves after working out. When you use gym equipment, it is inevitable that sweat marks will remain where you sat or lay down, but almost all of the US soldiers cleaned up after themselves. This was a voluntary act of consideration for the next person. The respectful attitude of the US soldiers could also be seen in the dining hall and office.
When soldiers lined up to eat, even US military officers lined up and waited their turn, regardless of rank. Regardless of rank, everyone entered the dining hall in the order they arrived and received their meals. Although rank is important in the US military, I felt that everyone was treated with respect as human beings. Even in the unit office, the handover of duties was carried out systematically.
Although I cannot say that all US soldiers are like this based on my limited experience, I felt that they were very systematic and culturally inclined to organize materials and prepare explanations for the next person. My two homestay experiences in the US were a great opportunity to experience their culture. When I was in sixth grade, I stayed with a host family in Simi Valley, near Los Angeles, California, during the summer and winter vacations.
What impressed me was their basic expressions. I heard expressions such as “I’m sorry,” “Excuse me,” “Thank you,” and “Please” very often, and they used them habitually. At first, I tried to use them consciously, but after a few days, I was using them naturally. By using these expressions, I was able to feel more sorry, grateful, and polite.
I had many opportunities to travel by car during my homestay. This allowed me to observe several cultural and habitual differences from Korea. First, it was natural for everyone to wear seat belts in all seats. In Korea, people who sit in the back seat do not usually wear seat belts, but during my homestay, I was scolded when I did not wear my seat belt. In addition, there was a habit of stopping at “stop” signs in the middle of the road, even if there were no cars. This rule was strictly observed even when there was no one around. I thought that these behaviors were connected to a spirit of law-abiding and respect for others.
In the UK, when I took the subway in London during rush hour, I bumped into people, which was a different experience from Korea. People expressed their apologies with phrases such as “Excuse me,” “I’m sorry,” and “I apologize.” Hearing these expressions made me feel better immediately, and I felt grateful.
When starting a conversation or greeting people in English-speaking countries, I had a habit of asking about the other person’s mood or situation first with greetings such as “How are you,” “What’s up,” and “What’s going on.”
I thought that these greetings were culturally implied as a sign of respect for the other person, and I often found myself listening attentively to the other person’s response. Through these experiences, I was able to feel the respect of people in English-speaking countries in many ways. I believe that this habit is possible because the attitude of respect has been ingrained in their bodies and minds through decades and centuries of history.
This respect and consideration made the other person feel less uncomfortable and sometimes even warm. There are many qualities that make a gentleman or a lady, but I believe that respect, manners, and consideration are the most basic and important elements. I believe that this culture gives people in English-speaking countries the right to use the expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” and serves as a foundation for respecting and developing their culture and various fields. I felt that Korea should also strive to become a country where people can confidently use the expression “ladies and gentlemen” by becoming true gentlemen and ladies.
