Ma'am

I think Miss is cute and sweet.

When I worked at the Elementary School, I was "Miss Jamie" - but that's a whole different protocol. And of course having been a server, using "Sir" & "Ma'am" are commonplace - especially 'cuz I live in the South as well.

I don't really force the habit onto my daughter, though. My best friend and her husband practically beat those terms into their sons, though.

I only use it when I'm being sarcastic or joking, especially with male friends.

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Originally Posted by shion

Where I am from, (Ottawa, Ontario) it is considered rude to call someone ma'am unless they are visibly over the age of 50.

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That's news to me :shobon:

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Originally Posted by Freya

Ma'am is the female version of Sir. Or so that's how I was taught. So anyone you don't know deserves a Ma'am or Sir if they are older than you or not. You don't know if they deserve the respect or not but you should give it anyway because it's polite!

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Originally Posted by Faris

I only use it when I'm being sarcastic or joking, especially with male friends.

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Originally Posted by shion

Where I am from, (Ottawa, Ontario) it is considered rude to call someone ma'am unless they are visibly over the age of 50.

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That's news to me :shobon:

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Really :O

I've seen people get fussed at about it all the time. Heck I was a supervisor at Tim Horton's and I had customers telling me to fuss at the employees about it.

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Originally Posted by Freya

Ma'am is the female version of Sir. Or so that's how I was taught. So anyone you don't know deserves a Ma'am or Sir if they are older than you or not. You don't know if they deserve the respect or not but you should give it anyway because it's polite!

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Originally Posted by fire_of_avalon

I live in the South. Everyone is Ma'am. Sometimes people are Miss too, though. If I refer to a non-present third party it's Ms though.

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Originally Posted by Unbreakable Will

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Originally Posted by Freya

Ma'am is the female version of Sir. Or so that's how I was taught. So anyone you don't know deserves a Ma'am or Sir if they are older than you or not. You don't know if they deserve the respect or not but you should give it anyway because it's polite!

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I'll just go ahead and solidify this Southern stereotype. Not everyone here does it, but if they were raised to be polite and respectful to others, it's how they're taught to show that respect. Every woman is ma'am, every man is sir.

EDIT: So if you're vising down here, or you can tell someone is from the South when they're visiting elsewhere, try not to be offended. It's meant to be polite. :)

Calling someone miss can be polite to, though. Apparently more so to some people including just a few here who said ma'am would make them feel old.

For me, Ma'am is never used. Miss is used for some of my female friends, usually when I want to give them a title for some reason. I have never given a male a title, and never will.

IN that vein, some suppliers at my work call me Sir. It freaks me out to be called Sir when I am only 22.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Shauna

I have never given a male a title, and never will.

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Why?

I use Mr/Miss/Mrs on a daily basis due to work things - only polite to call people such things when demanding they give me all their delicious money.

But in general day to day life? I don't tend to use such formalities. No ma'am, no madam, no sir, no miss. I don't tend to get referred to as any formal titles either. I wonder if this is another bizarre NA/EU culture difference! I am interested for more people from this side of the pond to respond. :excite:

Where I am if somebody uses one of these terms you know they're either from the South or the military. xD Because no one uses them otherwise.

I'll only call someone "ma'am" if I don't like her.

For the same reason, if someone calls me "sir" I respond, "Don't call me sir, my parents were married."

I don't discriminate--anyone can be a ma'am or a sir. My coworkers are not always pleased by this.

I wish people would call me sir.

That would be awesome.

I think the first time I was called ma'am a few years ago, I literally stopped and just gaped at them in horror. I was like... 20 at the time? Totally uncool.