Agashi, Saranghe. Chongma.

I was watching a Korean movie while eating dinner and it emphasized for me one of the biggest differences between Asian cultures and that here in the US. This emphasis didn't come from the plot or story line, but was just part of the webbing that held all of the characters together. It was completely incidental to everything else that was happening. But/And, every Asian movie would probably have the same element.

For example, in one scene, two families are getting ready to eat together in one room and one of the younger women was asking them all to do something first. When she talked to each of the other people, she never used their names but used titles instead. She used,

Omma: Mother
Appa: Father
Ajushi: Mister; used to address the father of the other family
Ajuma: Ma'am; used to address the mother of the other family
Harabuji: Grandfather, and what she calls the grandfather of the other family
Oppa: Used to address her older brother and the older son of the other family
Onni: Older sister

Not one name is used, but everyone knew who was being talked to. I kind of like that system. Of course, if it were used to keep people in 'their place,' i would rant and rave against it, but i like the idea of everyone always keeping in the back of their minds that other people deserve a certain amount of respect simply because they deserve it.

It's become somewhat of a joke with me as i watch these movies. The subtitles will read something like "Bill, have you seen Frank or Mary?" while the spoken dialog will be "Oppa, have you seen Ajushi or Onni?" It's interesting to me how they switch cultures as they subtitle it. It also makes me wonder what else i'm not catching in the dislocation between speech and subtitle, given that i don't speak Korean.

I'm not at all convinced we in the west have gained anything by not adopting a system like this and, instead, move straight to first names 22 seconds after meeting someone.

Hmmmm.......