Houston-related etiquette question

[Grand in Grand Bay]

Originally Posted by elnina

Higher rank/position/education earn more formal and respectful approach than the rest, but I would say that unless someone tells me differently, I would always start with formal form ( Mr/Mrs/Ms last name). Many people are from different parts of country, and might feel offended when a total stranger calls them Mr/Mrs/Ms first name. I would feel very embarrassed when someone correct me and say: is Mr/Mrs/Ms last name...
I would also add that mispronouncing someones name is rude. If one is not sure how to pronounce a name, is better to say Mr/Mrs/Ms only.

While I agree with that you also have to take into account that when you travel to different areas there are going to be different customs. You can't allow yourself to get offended over something that is done in the entire South. On the same note, I would not be offended by being called Ms. Last Name. I guess the only thing you can do is go with what you think is right. Also, just to mention, it's usually the children who use Ms. First Name. As an adult I use Ms. Last Name.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by elnina

I would also add that mispronouncing someones name is rude. If one is not sure how to pronounce a name, is better to say Mr/Mrs/Ms only.

I don't think it's necessarily rude to mispronounce someone's name unless a person is making little to no effort to use the proper pronunciation after being corrected. My last name and DH's are constantly mangled and I do wish that people would ask instead of stuttering/guessing 4-5 times before getting something out that is still wrong. No harm in asking first!

I have noticed in recent years that a lot of people are shortening last names to the first letter; our neighbors called my parents Mr/Mrs H and did the same with the other elderly parents (who did not want to be addressed by 1st name) - this was in SoCal.

I've posed this same question on my local mom's board and a national parenting board and the answers run the gamut from formal to informal to I don't really care - my children know to be respectful of adults no matter what they call them.