Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The bolded part is true in YOUR experience, but there are definitely geographical differences, as others have pointed out. Where I grew up, "ma'am" was used only for elderly women.
Here's a specific example. My sister-in-law (in her 50's) recently posted on facebook:
"Someone called me ma'am today. Must be time to get my roots touched up!"
I've spent a lot of time in Texas. I'm pretty sure ma'am isn't age specific.
As a child, it was pretty much drilled into me that I should respect my elders. It seems as if everytime I try to be polite and formal to strangers by addressing them as Sir, Ma'am, Mister "Jason", or Miss, they prefer not to be addressed that way, but instead their first name. It becomes a habit that's hard to break for me.
If something like this was supposed to sound, polite, formal and professional, why do people prefer not to be addressed that way?
This again? There are several long threads about it. It all depends on your area and profession...if people are getting upset at you....learn to break the habit. It's not professional or formal. It's colloquial at most.
I very much prefer not to be marginalized by being called ma'am or miss. I am niether. I understand it's polite in parts of the south....but if I politely tell you not to do ithe again.....don't do it....because it becomes rude at that point.
To put it as nicely as I can....... Because you sound phoney saying it.. Its just like bless her heart ..she's such a filthy little tramp..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cynthetik
As a child, it was pretty much drilled into me that I should respect my elders. It seems as if everytime I try to be polite and formal to strangers by addressing them as Sir, Ma'am, Mister "Jason", or Miss, they prefer not to be addressed that way, but instead their first name. It becomes a habit that's hard to break for me.
If something like this was supposed to sound, polite, formal and professional, why do people prefer not to be addressed that way?
I've spent a lot of time in Texas. I'm pretty sure ma'am isn't age specific.
I haven't heard many people say ma'am in the one year that I've lived in Texas. In the 40+ years that I lived in Indiana, ma'am was definitely reserved for elderly women only.
To put it as nicely as I can....... Because you sound phoney saying it.. Its just like bless her heart ..she's such a filthy little tramp..
Lol.....the only thing better is when they say "love'em to death but....."...and then says the most horrible, gossipy thing possible.
"Bless her heart and love 'er to death, but she'll just yes ma'am 'ya 'till tomorrow while she's sleeping with your husband and telling tales about the children!"
My elderly mother, from the north not south, was okay with ma'am but got irate when
a waitress would address her and my brother as "you guys"...(no, she did not look like a man.)
I told her that was commom and not meant as disrespect...never bothered me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
