Yes Ma'am No Sir

[teach1rusl]

The only time I've felt uncomfortable being addressed as "ma'am" was when I was addressed so by a black woman (I'm white) just a few years younger than me, she being in a subordinate position on the job. She told me that's just how she'd been raised. I'm still unsure whether my discomfort came from her being a female close to my age, because she was African American, or because we were working closely together and not thinking of her as subordinate. It's easier for me to accept/appreciate hearing it from young people (under 30) and males of any age.

I like to hear it if I can tell it's honest; not some Eddie Haskell response (moreso with some kids who use it).

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Sometimes I think Ma'am and Sir took a long trip; they are looking for Please and Thank You.


But yes Sir, I do think they should be used more and will make an effort on my part to bring them back home.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

when i was 18 years old i was working at a drug store and i had just rung up this younger kid (maybe 12 or 13) and when i wa sfinished with the transaction he said to me,

"Thank you Ma'am"

and to be honest, i kind of liked it. Made me have gallons of respect for him as opposed to those crappy high schoolers who were always coming in and stealing our stuff

either way, when i am addressing my bosses, i always call them sir or ma'am. Same with police officers and any people of authority

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

delete

 

[gryeyes]

Now, I don't feel anywhere near my chronological age (plenty of fairy dust scattered around throughout my life to keep me waiting for Peter Pan to show up at an open window some night) but I have always appreciated a ma'am or Miz from persons of any age. I think it's respectful.

I happen to use ma'am and sir everywhere, even in drive through fast food ordering. It may make the kids inside smile, but it's polite.

There's not enough politeness in this world.

 

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
I think in many places, the omission of sir or maam is not considered rude. It may be a cultural thing - I mean no disrespect to southerners. It is just widely known that they are old-fashioned in some ways.

Agreed. Around here we just don't use sir and ma'am that much but it isn't considered rude to not use them. It is different than how things were when I was growing up. I would never have called an adult by their first name... it was always Mr. or Mrs. Now however, most kids around here use an adult's first name sometimes with a Mr. or Mrs. on the front though it doesn't always work that way. Most kids I know either call me Miss Heather or just plain Heather (for some reason we always use Miss instead of Mrs in front of a first name even if the woman in question is married). I prefer it that way frankly.

 

[WingingIt]

Quote:
Yes, sir, I agree with you!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Amen. I also am in the habit of saying "thank you" to anyone that waits on me, be it a salesperson at the local wally world or the waiter at a fine restaurant and why not? They are providing you a service and should be thanked.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Quote:
Amen. I also am in the habit of saying "thank you" to anyone that waits on me, be it a salesperson at the local wally world or the waiter at a fine restaurant and why not? They are providing you a service and should be thanked.

 

[PotterWatch]

Please and thank you are still required for politeness as are things like holding the door for someone. One thing that gets me is the adults who will thank another adult for holding the door for them but apparently children are invisible because my boys rarely get thanked by adults for something like holding a door.