So I was just
curious, what are your thoughts on getting called Ma’am? Or in turn, calling others Ma’am?
This question was
triggered by a few things.
I first started
thinking about it when I was watching an episode of Tia & Tamera (oh hell
yeah I do) and Tia was throwing a fit complaining that she was called Ma’am.
Then last week I
went and got lunch and as the person handed me my sandwich he said “Here you go
Ma’am.”
And then a girl I
work with in her early 20’s (oh that age seems so far away) hates that another
women older than her in the office calls her ma’am.
And on top of
that Terry and I are constantly using Sir and Ma’am when talking to strangers.
It got me
thinking, do women take offense to this?
Should only women of a certain age be called Ma’am? What if it is someone my age? When is it
appropriate vs not appropriate?
I can’t imagine
men get offended being called Sir no matter what age, so why does it seem
different for women?
What is the dealio
– yo?!
Isn’t it just a
term of respect you use when addressing other women? That is what I was always taught. Why has this turned into such a touchy word
to be on the receiving end of?
I personally was
not offended when I was called Ma’am at lunch, I thought it was very
polite. But I am not going to lie; there
was a part of me that felt older. And
well, no one wants to feel older. But is it because I already had it on my mind
from watching that episode that triggered it or was it my own thought of feeling
old?!
I mean, IS THAT
IT?!?! We feel old when we are called
Ma’am because that is how we have addressed adults when we were kids or how we
address people older than us?! And like
I said, after a certain age we never want to feel older.
Definition of
ma’am: Used as a form of polite address for a woman; short for madam:
used as a title of respect, esp for female royalty
I like to consider myself a princess (that's for you mom & dad), so I shall be OK being
called ma’am. Well unless it is by some gorgeous
20 year old with perky boobs and great hair and she says it to me all valley
girl like….then I will punch her (in my mind of course).
What are your thoughts? YAY or NAH on the Ma’am?!
Can I just say I love you more now? I love Tia and Tamera! Ha.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with people calling me Ma'am. I'm in my mid 30s, I think I've earned a Ma'am or two. ;) My take is: If someone is younger than you, call them Miss. If older, Ma'am. However, I can totally see if a bleachy blonde high school girl called me Ma'am, I'd feel like a grandma...but you know, I probably AM a grandma to her. I remember thinking 30 something was SO old in HS.
If I'm called ma'am is makes me feel old! I prefer miss - that makes me feel youthful. I've used sir on occasion. Now that I think of it I have never used ma'am or miss with anyone.
ReplyDeleteI really (really) don't like being called ma'am. I don't get mad or irate or anything, but it bugs me. I just don't like the word. It makes me feel old. I don't think I've ever called anyone ma'am. Even when I was a kid.
ReplyDelete