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 other foreign media. I used to accept these expressions without any special meaning and sometimes used them as greetings. However, several experiences in English-speaking countries made me rethink the meaning of “Ladies and Gentlemen.” My service in the US Army 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 culture. Through these experiences, I came to believe that the expression “Ladies and Gentlemen” is not simply a phrase used to make the other person feel good, but rather an expression that grants each other status based on a culture of respect. In this article, I will examine the differences in the cultures of respect between the English-speaking world and Korea based on my experiences.
In fact, the phrase “Ladies and Gentlemen” originated in the UK. A brief look at the etymology of “Lady” and “Gentleman” reveals that they are related to social status and have noble meanings. Historically, they referred to those who had the right to vote, and as a result, 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 also frequently uses this expression due to British influence. 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 saw many examples of their respect. 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 exercising. 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 military personnel 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 to eat. 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 could feel that they respected each other 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 there was a strong institutional and cultural culture of organizing materials and creating manuals 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. Using these expressions made me feel more sorry, grateful, and polite.
During my homestay, I had many opportunities to travel by car. At that time, I noticed several cultural and habitual differences from Korea. First, it was natural for everyone to wear seat belts in all seats. In Korea, people don’t usually wear seat belts in the back seat, but during my homestay, I was scolded for not wearing a seat belt. Also, there were “stop” signs in the middle of the road, and people had a habit of stopping even if there were no cars. People obeyed the rules even when no one was watching. I thought these behaviors were connected to a spirit of law-abidingness and respect for others.
In the UK, when I took the subway in London during rush hour, I was bumped into by other passengers, 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, my unpleasant feelings quickly disappeared, and I felt grateful instead.
When starting a conversation or greeting people in English-speaking countries, I noticed that they had a habit of asking how the other person was doing or what was going on before saying anything else. I thought this was a culturally respectful way of greeting someone, and I often found myself listening attentively to the other person’s response.
Through these various experiences, I was able to feel the respect of people in English-speaking countries everywhere. I believe that this habit has been possible because the attitude of “respect” has been ingrained in their bodies and minds through decades and centuries of history. This respect and consideration caused less discomfort to others and sometimes evoked warm feelings. There may be many qualifications for being 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 expressions “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” as true gentlemen and ladies.
