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Today I am a "Ma'am"

Lillemor

One Too Many
Messages
1,137
Location
Denmark
Caity Lynn said:
I was called "Lady" today lol

at work the guy was like "I'm talking to the lady behind the counter, both ladies actually"


my co-worker is almost 50 :rolleyes:

I'm ignorant. Did 'lady' go out of daily use? When? It must've been after 1997. No, I'm not joking or intentionally being insulting. It's a genuine question.:) I've been called lady from 1991-1997 which were the years I lived in the U.S. the last time (also shortly in the late 70s).
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
Lillemor said:
The Dutch tend to have good language skills and I think they're less likely to have a very clear foreign accent than us Danes but that's just my experience.

My mistake - I meant to say Danish. The Dutch don't have an obvious accent to me, either, but Danes do :)
 

Audrey Horne

Practically Family
Messages
595
Location
Orange, CA
Is there a correct age?

For those ladies who are offended about being called ma'am, at what age or life status do you think it's appropriate?

*Edited to add life status :)
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
Audrey Horne said:
For those ladies who are offended about being called ma'am, at what age do you think it's appropriate?

Upon further reflection, ma'am would not offend me if I were an obviously middle aged lady (55+) with kids and accomplishments. Ma'am is a truncated version of Madam, and Madams to me are ladies who's age earns them the respect of the title.

I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
C-dot said:
Upon further reflection, ma'am would not offend me if I were an obviously middle aged lady (55+) with kids and accomplishments. Ma'am is a truncated version of Madam, and Madams to me are ladies who's age earns them the respect of the title.

I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.

See I don't feel like a Ma'am...because I am single and don't have kids and so forth....

But I have merely become resigned to it...because the only other option is to go around correcting everyone like a giant -old- crabby lady...which just pretty much cements that I was a ma'am in the darn first place... ;)

For what its worth...I am 39....
 

Barbigirl

Practically Family
Messages
915
Location
Issaquah, WA
In Spanish

Last night at a new mexican restaurant it was the first time anyone ever called me Senora

Never occurred to me that that would make me wince!
 

Anwen

New in Town
Messages
49
Location
London
I'm mostly happy so long as I'm not being called Sir, that hasn't happened in a while though, but considering how, um, well-endowed I am, it happened a lot when I was a little younger... I get the occasional Madam (Ma'am isn't in general use here, it tends only to be said by butlers in plays, or people who are addressing the Queen...) and am sometimes referred to as The Lady by people (I have a walking stick so occasionally people will tell their kids to be careful of The Lady or something).
 

Lovely Leah

Familiar Face
Messages
59
Location
Florida
I started using a cane (walking stick for UK friends like Anwen) while still in college. By the time I was in the workplace in my mid-twenties, I was called Ma'am far more frequently than most women far older than me. I dressed very appropriately for a twenty something & mostly socialized with my own age group. Maybe using a cane ascribes gravitas and maturity to even the youngest of users.LOL
 

The Shirt

Practically Family
Messages
852
Location
Minneapolis
See I don't feel like a Ma'am...because I am single and don't have kids and so forth....

But I have merely become resigned to it...because the only other option is to go around correcting everyone like a giant -old- crabby lady...which just pretty much cements that I was a ma'am in the darn first place...

For what its worth...I am 39....

Um ditto. I feel way too young in my head to be considered a ma'am because I don't have the traditional trappings of say perhaps my mother. So I am still a Miss in my head. The first time I heard it was from a young, young fella in a retail environment and it stopped me dead in my tracks. I corrected him and begged him to call every woman in the future a "Miss" because nobody wants to be considered old. I scared him. And then yes - I felt like the crabby old lady who tells those darn kids in the street to cut out the racket!
 

Foofoogal

Banned
Messages
4,884
Location
Vintage Land
I still find this thread funny and interesting. I am in my early 50s and call young unmarried ladies ma'am. It is all a way of showing respect. If a woman in a restaurant or store brings me something I will say thank you ma'am.
So different other places I guess. Maybe I am getting to be an antique. lol [huh]
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com
 

SayCici

Practically Family
Messages
813
Location
Virginia
I live in the false South (Virginia, and Northern at that), so I relish miss, ma'am, whatever I can get. The intent is all good and I appreciate it. :)
 

ThesFlishThngs

One Too Many
Messages
1,007
Location
Oklahoma City
Other than saying 'hey lady', anyone addressing a woman in today's society risks saying something offensive, and being accused of making presumptions.
Miss = young and/or unmarried.
Mrs. = married.
Ms. = none of your business, but still seems more a term to be filled in on questionnaires rather than a term of verbal address.

A lot of women don't like having their identities or titles mixed up with their relationship status, not to mention, in the case of addressing a stranger, one has no idea about such a status (or lack of one).

Amongst military types, old school gentlemen, and cowboys ("Howdy, ma'am", with a tip of the hat), ma'am is a respectful term of address for an adult woman. Or at least that's always been my experience.
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
In my regrettably short stay in the Navy I got very tired of being referred to as female, as in "hey, female!" and my friends and I would secretly and rebelliously refer to each other as ma'am.
 

23SkidooWithYou

Practically Family
Messages
533
Location
Pennsylvania
ThesFlishThngs said:
Amongst military types, old school gentlemen, and cowboys ("Howdy, ma'am", with a tip of the hat), ma'am is a respectful term of address for an adult woman. Or at least that's always been my experience.

Good point! I guess I also make allowances for the person addressing me. I would never be upset if an enlisted man/woman referred to me as Ma'am. It reminds me of "honey". A little old lady can call me honey, no problem but it always sounds demeaning coming from men my own age. Go figure.


LizzieMaine...My Momma didn't have time for two words so she got by with just plain old "Missy". lol
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
ThesFlishThngs said:
Amongst military types, old school gentlemen, and cowboys ("Howdy, ma'am", with a tip of the hat), ma'am is a respectful term of address for an adult woman. Or at least that's always been my experience.

Interesting! I have seen female officers be referred to as "Sir." My soldier beau tells me it's proper. [huh]
 

SayCici

Practically Family
Messages
813
Location
Virginia
C-dot said:
Interesting! I have seen female officers be referred to as "Sir." My soldier beau tells me it's proper. [huh]
Interesting! As far as I know, that wouldn't be kosher in the US.
 

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