In sociology, manners are the unenforced standards of conduct which show the actor to be cultured, polite, and refined. They are like laws in that they codify or set a standard for human behavior, but they are unlike laws in that there is no formal system for punishing transgressions. They are a kind of norm. What is considered "mannerly" is highly susceptible to change with time, geographical location, social stratum, occasion, and other factors. That manners matter is evidenced by the fact that large books have been written on the subject, advice columns frequently deal with questions of mannerly behavior, and that schools have existed for the sole purpose of teaching manners. A lady is a term frequently used for a woman who follows proper manners; the term gentleman is used as a male counterpart; though these terms are also often used for members of a particular social class. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... Politeness is best expressed as the practical application of good manners or etiquette. ... Lady Justice or Justitia is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system (particularly in Western art). ... The word norm coming from the latin word norma which means angle measure or (lawlike) rule, has a number of meanings: A social or sociological norm; see norm (sociology). ... An agony aunt is an advice columnist at a magazine or newspaper. ... A lady is a woman who is the counterpart of a lord; or, the counterpart of a gentleman. ... The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or gens, and man, cognate with the French word gentilhomme, the Spanish gentilhombre and the Italian gentil uomo or gentiluomo), in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of good family, the Latin generosus (its invariable translation in English... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ...

Purpose of manners

Manners ease the stress of communal living, and mannerly behavior recognizes the right of others to share communal space. Many of our daily expressions of politeness reflect this function. Saying "excuse me," for example, shows that you recognize that you have invaded another's space, and regret the necessity of doing so. It is a basic tenet in law that it is wrongful to cause damages to another (see norm). Since there cannot be a law for every slight, daily causing of damage to another, manners serve to at least acknowledge, if not make recompense, for the damage. Needless to say, the teaching of good manners should start early in life and show the value of respect and consideration for all parties. The word norm coming from the latin word norma which means angle measure or (lawlike) rule, has a number of meanings: A social or sociological norm; see norm (sociology). ...

Miss Manners

One thinker, Judith Martin, (aka Miss Manners -- see Further Reading below) regrets that in recent times the idea that one should be "assertive" has gained currency, holding that being assertive is simply another name for "the Impulse Rude," which is to be resisted at all times. She prefers "the withering look, the insistent and repeated request, the cold voice, the report up the chain of command, and the tilted nose." She also rejects the idea that manners is all about making people comfortable, "as if etiquette weren't magnificently capable of being used to make others feel uncomfortable," all in the name of preserving peace in the public arena. Manners are used in life for good people so that other people know that you were raised correctly and that you are civilized. President George W. Bush and Laura Bush stand with 2005 National Humanities Medal recipient Judith Martin. ...

See also

• Table manners
• Intercultural competence

It has been suggested that Fork etiquette be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Similar concepts

There are many terms for societal norms that imply various connotations. Compare and contrast manners with,

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Etiquette
• Morality
• Politeness
• Social role
• Social class
• Taboo

  (Sanskrit) (Devnagari: धर्म) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ... Ethics (from the Ancient Greek Ä“thikos, the adjective of Ä“thos custom, habit), a major branch of philosophy, including genetics is the study of values and customs of a person or group. ... Etiquette, one aspect of decorum, is a code that governs the expectations of social behavior, according to the conventional norm within a society, social class, or group. ... Media:Example. ... Politeness is best expressed as the practical application of good manners or etiquette. ... A function is part of an answer to a question about why some object or process occurred in a system that evolved or was designed with some goal. ... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ...

References

• Truss, Lynn (Nov. 14, 2005). "Don't be so rude". New Straits Times, p. L12–L13.

The New Straits Times is a Malaysian English-language newspaper. ...

Further reading

• New Manners for New Times: A Complete Guide to Etiquette, by Letitia Baldrige, New York: Scribner, 2003, ISBN 0-7432-1062-X, 709 pages.
• Manners from Heaven: A Divine Guide to Good Behaviour, by Quentin Crisp, HarperCollins Publishers (June 13, 1985), ISBN 0-00-654133-X, 138 pages.
• Town & Country Modern Manners: The Thinking Person's Guide to Social Graces, edited by Thomas P. Farley, Hearst Books (September 2005), ISBN 1-58816-454-3, 256 pages.
• Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, by Judith Martin, W. W. Norton & Company; Updated edition (April 20, 2005), ISBN 0-393-05874-3, 864 pages.
• Emily Post's Etiquette, by Peggy Post, HarperResource; 17th Indxd edition (November 1, 2004), ISBN 0-06-620957-9, 896 pages. Available online at Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home.

Letitia Baldrige (b. ...

External links

• Manners and Etiquette training kits for children
• Developing Manners and Etiquette
• Jon D. Williams Cotillions