Is the word "sir" basically understood intimidation? (adults, children)
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I truly think that people who are insulted by being called "Sir" or "Ma'am" are unhappy and unpleasant people who just look for things to be insulted by so they can have something to grouse about. Ridiculous!
I truly think that people who are insulted by being called "Sir" or "Ma'am" are unhappy and unpleasant people who just look for things to be insulted by so they can have something to grouse about. Ridiculous!
I agree, got to be a miserable sad sack to micro-analyze and parse every word looking for ways to get upset. There's a thread floating around here about getting upset when people call you "hon", I mean jeez already. Stupid inane first world problems we have.
Now, to go out on a limb: If you're feeling scared of an aggressive cop, and you say "Sir," then you are more doing so out of self-protection and kiss butt to save yours and out of intimidation than reespect...
I will only say "sir" if I think he's older than I am.
I truly think that people who are insulted by being called "Sir" or "Ma'am" are unhappy and unpleasant people who just look for things to be insulted by so they can have something to grouse about. Ridiculous!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chowhound
I agree, got to be a miserable sad sack to micro-analyze and parse every word looking for ways to get upset. There's a thread floating around here about getting upset when people call you "hon", I mean jeez already. Stupid inane first world problems we have.
Very true.
This thread would certainly be considered stupid by anyone in a third world nation. And considering that the Germans, the French, the Italians, and the Spanish use their versions of "sir" all the time, this thread would be stupid in most of Europe as well. And in Japan, India, and China.
Some people are working 'way too hard to be offended.
Some others are working 'way too hard to avoid appearing to show respect to anyone.
I don't find the word to be the least bit intimidating. Why would anyone be intimidated by it ?
It's simply a formality. It gets used less and less in everyday life as many people prefer informality. This is especially true of younger members of society.
I was walking out of the post office the other day. A man in front of me had a envelope slip from the pile of papers he was carrying. I called out to him " Sir, you dropped something " Sounds lot more polite than
" Hey, you" or " Hey, mister". How would " sir" be intimidating ?
Today's younger people would have said: "Hey dude, you dropped something".
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