Ma'am or Miss ?

[DaveP]

As a man I always use ma'am, both in real life and when I worked on the phone for a clothing company a few years back. I always use it as a sign of respect, miss (from a stranger) can seem diminutive. A few have corrected me though and said they prefer miss, their mom/grandmom is ma'am, but always in a friendly way. Nobody has ever been genuinely offended by me saying ma'am, but someone might be if I use miss. Heck, if it's someone whose full name I know but I'm not well acquainted with I'll use Ms along with their surname. Teachers, for example, Ms Anderson. I won't call her Rebecca unless she gives me permission - call me Rebecca. (There is no Rebecca Anderson, just made the name up as an example).

[DaveP]

I find both offensive....along with all those other cutie-patootie female only nick-names...we need a generic gender neutral honourific..

Buddy? Pal? Thing that occupies both space and time?

[couponingtosurvive]

I welcome any effort in using Miss or ma'am or Mrs... politeness is becoming a lost art. Doesn't Miss generally refer to a younger lady (even child/little girl) as Master is used for boys before they receive the Mr. title. I always addressed young men/little boys as Master on written notes or during special occasions. I use Mrs. for married women and ma'am for a lady who I didn't know was married or not, or in my eyes seemed older than the Miss title. Although I have used Miss for teachers that were not married and were the age for ma'am... Miss just felt better in that circumstance for some reason? Sad that we are losing certain etiquettes and knowing when/how to use certain terminologies.

[greeny]

More things to worry about in life though...lets be honest.

Yes, of course. I was just on here trying to drum up conversation...it's meaningless really !

[GoddessDigi]

I have the kids call their teachers, 'Miss' (and Mister :p), and I use 'Ma'am' when on the phone.
DH hates it that the kids call me 'ma'am' (when they are in trouble, they revert to, "yes, ma'am" and "no, ma'am'" lol).

[KDivers]

I like miss

[Shwa Girl]

I find both offensive....along with all those other cutie-patootie female only nick-names...we need a generic gender neutral honourific..

Like calling everybody Dude?

[greeny]

It seems that females graduate from "Miss" to "Ma'am" as they age yet males get called "sir" no matter how young or old. Or am I wrong?

[couponingtosurvive]

It seems that females graduate from "Miss" to "Ma'am" as they age yet males get called "sir" no matter how young or old. Or am I wrong?

Young men and little boys are called Master before they are called Mister/Sir. Always found that amusing... boys are Master and men are not (said purely in good fun). lol.

[greeny]

Young men and little boys are called Master before they are called Mister/Sir. Always found that amusing... boys are Master and men are not (said purely in good fun). lol.

It must depend on where you live. I have never heard of a boy being called "Master" other than in the U.K. I could be wrong though. I mean, in everyday life, I can't imagine a cashier saying "excuse me Master" to a 15 year old boy lol. I've only heard the word "sir" used for any male, no matter the age.

[Darth Penguin]

Young men and little boys are called Master before they are called Mister/Sir. Always found that amusing... boys are Master and men are not (said purely in good fun). lol.

It must depend on where you live. I have never heard of a boy being called "Master" other than in the U.K. I could be wrong though. I mean, in everyday life, I can't imagine a cashier saying "excuse me Master" to a 15 year old boy lol. I've only heard the word "sir" used for any male, no matter the age.

Yuppers..Master was an honourific for pre- and teenaged boys of a high social status...working class male children would never be afforded that sort of title..

[Darth Penguin]

Like calling everybody Dude?

MEH...dude I like but i prefer ..

YOUR REGAL EVILNESS when strangers address me!

[harley]

As a cashier and as myself I always use ma'am or sir. It is out of respect and I would much rather be called ma'am myself than sweetie or hun or my least favourite dear.

[bella_bamba]

Yuppers..Master was an honourific for pre- and teenaged boys of a high social status...working class male children would never be afforded that sort of title..

This reminds me of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where the butler Jeffrey always called Will "Master William"!

[greeny]

This reminds me of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where the butler Jeffrey always called Will "Master William"!

HAHAHA yes I totally remember that !