Forum Index
»
Off-Topic
Use of the word ma'am
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Like PPs, I see it as a sign of respect but makes me feel old (I'm 41). I greatly prefer being called "miss" but would get a kick out of being called "madam"! |
Anonymous
| I use it, and have it used back at me.... |
Anonymous
this makes you sound old 
kids today . . . . |
Anonymous
|
When speaking with teens who I don't know personally I alway try to call them young man or young lady.
The same thing goes for adults. When speaking with adult men I call them Sir and when I'm addressing adult women I call them Ma'am regardless of their age. Why would that offend anyone? It's simply a demonstration of respect. |
Anonymous
|
"My DDs say ma'am to me and sir to their dad. We taught them to do it because it's just what came naturally to us."
How does language come "naturally" to someone? |
Anonymous
| And keep off of my lawn! |
Anonymous
| The ma'am and sir thing are creepy, very creepy. |
Anonymous
It's a regional thing. I get cross-eyed looks from my northern friends when I say this. I grew up in the Carolinas and everyone is ma'am: elderly, peers, etc. |
Anonymous
| I can't imagine not saying sir and ma'am. I've been asked if I'm from a military family bc of it. |
Anonymous
I know quite a few people who ma'am and sir obsessively, and they were all raised in military families. My mom's southern. She would have liked us to use it more than we did growing up. My dad's midwestern. He said the only kids who used it were raised in orphanages. With all due respect for regional differences, I don't much like kids using those terms with their parents. I just can't imagine my toddler giving me a giant hug and and a kiss and saying "I love you sooooo much... ma'am". |
Anonymous
|
I used to get "Miss" more often, but lately it's almost exclusively "Ma'am." I'm 38. I don't really take it personally; I just think it's a polite thing, and I appreciate that the person has been brought up with the manners to use it in the first place!
(But yes, there are days when it makes me feel ancient. oh well.) |
Anonymous
| It makes me cringe even though I know it is respectful. I'm 54. I notice it is a big southern thing as well as a big military thing. I had a kid work for me who used mam after ever sentence. It drove me nuts, but I didn't think I could say not to do it...he was trying to be polite. |
Anonymous
+1. I've used both phrases my whole life. Not "I love you, ma'am" with mommy, that's ridiculous. But, if asked to clean up my room, response might be "yes ma'am". But I definitely use it even now with strangers, other adults (not in casual conversation, obviously), or as appropriate with my own parents and older relatives etc... I use it as a sign of respect "Yes, Ma'am or Yes, Sir" without even thinking out it. |
Anonymous
| 35 and it doesn't bother me because I so very much appreciate anyone with manners! |
Anonymous
| See, I don't think demonstration of "manners" requires folksy honorifics outside of the South or the military (if there's even much of a distinction between the two cultures). I can see it as a polite alternative to "Hey you!" if you need to get someone's attention, but it serves no practical function in most otherwise polite exchanges. |