Ma'am

I find it interesting that there seems to be a cultural difference in regards to the word ma'am. Where I am from, (Ottawa, Ontario) it is considered rude to call someone ma'am unless they are visibly over the age of 50. A lot of younger people would get scolded at high school jobs for calling a woman ma'am. The proper term to use is miss. I was also watchin a television show last night, where the woman was in her late 30's and she started to feel old because a younger man called her ma'am. This was in Seattle, I think? I've seen it in a show that took place in Boston as well.

Here in upstate South Carolina however, it is common to call everyone ma'am and considered polite, no matter what the age. I have been called ma'am on many occasions, and I find it amusing, since I'm obviously young and I know it isn't reserved for only older women as it is where I am from.

Which way is ma'am used or interpreted as where you're from? Any other words come to mind with this kind of effect?

Here most people don't use any sort of honorific like that, to the point that it takes me by surprise if someone does.

So I think "ma'am" and "miss" are both pretty equally acceptable for women here, people just never use them.

Never ever used. Maybe perhaps to address the Queen or a female officer who is higher ranked than yourself if you're in the army/police. Madam is more common in Britain.

for me its just a way of being polite to a woman.
though i find it a bit uncomfy hen they someb0dy calls me ma'am, becaus i also think its for the older ppl. though i say about 25+

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!

When people call me ma'am it makes me feel old and I feel sad.

25+? smurf, I feel old suddenly.

Ah, I never use titles like ma'am or sir unless it is required by the type of accent that I am using. I think those terms can be rather outdated!

I like how you guys don't like being called "ma'am" cause it makes you feel old, but I don't like being called "ma'am" because it sounds girly as hell and I'm not :colbert:

Ma'am and Miss are very common in the Philippines, as they're still deeply rooted in tradition and courtesy.

In Denmark, it's like, "hey, you". :(

I'll use both "ma'am" and "miss" for most ages, though now that I think about it I think I use "miss" more in professional contexts.

I think people who try to use any word like Ma'am, miss, or my lady when the setting is inappropriate are fedorable.

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.

Almost no one says ma'am or sir up here in the Northeast. But when I go to the South, like noted, I'm always ma'am even though I'm younger than most people who have called me it. It's pretty amusing xD

I get called both. Miss makes me feel like a kid, ma'am makes me wonder if I look old or something. I don't mind either though, I think it's nice.

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.

Ma'am/Miss etc are all used interchangeably here. Ma'am is just a more posher version of Miss really.

Ma'am is not commonly used here. Miss, however, is used a lot and madam is the most formal "posh" way to address a woman. Sir is also common for referring to men. Around here, none of these seem to differ between older and younger people.

I read a great article about this in some American newspaper whilst I was over there. Someone complained about the honorific, and the author quite rightfully chewed her out for being so stupid. It was glorious to read the complete lack of tact or subtlety in a broadsheet. :D

Ma'am/Madam = Sir.

I'm bringing back My Lady.

M'lady if you're not noble born :D

I often refer to Danielle as 'the good lady' or 'my good lady'.

When I lived in the ends the formality was often "oi, bitch"

In Ireland it's usually "Sorry" (pronounced with really strong emphasis on the end, SOH-REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE)

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Originally Posted by Freya

M'lady if you're not noble born :D

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Exactly, my lady.

Miss is more common where I'm from. Miss and "missy" if you are younger. I have never used or been called a m'am.

People never use words like these in Norway. No sir, no ma'am, no miss, no mister. Norway's just a really impolite country I guess.