Guest Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Awkwardly strange, yet true. As of late I've been encountering strangers referring to me as sir. I dont know how it's supposed to be naturally used. But if I have the right idea, its supposed to refer to someone with stature/authority/elder. But Im in my early 20's and these guys older than me are calling me sir. Link to post Share on other sites
jetsetjessica Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 True, in the past the title "sir" was used to show respect for elders and authority figures. But more recently it is being used to show respect for any man and is often used just because it is assumed it is impolite not to call a man sir. It would just make me feel old though not respected if I were you =-/ haha Link to post Share on other sites
princessa Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Perhaps you're maturing ..... in a good way of course.. people are trying to show respect, so I'd appreciate it if I were you.. Link to post Share on other sites
dgiirl Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 reminds me of a convo i had with my dad over xmas... I go up to the cashier to buy something small and the lady call's me maam. I go back to my dad and say "Gee, you know you're old when they call you 'maam'". He responds, "No, you know you're old when they say 'Do you need help carrying that to the car sir?'". Link to post Share on other sites
magda Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Usually it's used by someone who is serving you, like a waiter or someone in a shop, or someone (usually younger or subordinate at work) who wants to address you with respect. Link to post Share on other sites
princessa Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Personally I get offended when people who don't know me talk to me in french and use the familiar "tu" instead of "vous"... the term "vous" is pretty much like "maam", and I think it's appropriate that somebody whom I am not familiar with shows me this kind of respect. Link to post Share on other sites
Touche Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 DG, that was funny! I can really relate. A few years ago only I went from Miss to Maam...ugh. Guess I'm an old fart now. Link to post Share on other sites
dgiirl Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Personally I get offended when people who don't know me talk to me in french and use the familiar "tu" instead of "vous"... the term "vous" is pretty much like "maam", and I think it's appropriate that somebody whom I am not familiar with shows me this kind of respect. It's not exactly the same. I would be offended if someone I didnt know talked to me with tu too, unless they didnt speak french very well. But I would not get offended if someone called me mademoiselle instead of madame. Link to post Share on other sites
dgiirl Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 DG, that was funny! I can really relate. A few years ago only I went from Miss to Maam...ugh. Guess I'm an old fart now. I know!! I've always been thought of much younger than my age. Anyone my age or older hardly ever guesses my age. But i guess when you are 17, you do see me as a maam *sigh* Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 not sure where you're writing from, but I do know that here in the South, we're drilled in using "sir" and "ma'am" because it's proper manners, no matter HOW old the person is that you're addressing. Link to post Share on other sites
princessa Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 It's not exactly the same. I would be offended if someone I didnt know talked to me with tu too, unless they didnt speak french very well. But I would not get offended if someone called me mademoiselle instead of madame. We're talking about nothing versus "sir" here, are we not? Link to post Share on other sites
Quinch Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I hate when people call me "Mister ..." AAAARRGGHHH! "Mister ..." is my dad. Do I look like I smoke a pipe and wear carpet slippers??? Just drop the whole "Mister" **** right now! Link to post Share on other sites
blind_otter Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I hate when people call me "Mister ..." AAAARRGGHHH! "Mister ..." is my dad. Do I look like I smoke a pipe and wear carpet slippers??? Just drop the whole "Mister" **** right now! I feel old when people, especially youngesters, call me ma'am. Especially when I'm talking to them and I call them "dude". Link to post Share on other sites
KittenMoon Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I'm only 25 and I get called "ma'am" all the time, and yet I still get carded when I go to the local slots, which is 18 and older. Methinks "ma'am" is just replacing "miss" because it can sound mildy condescending. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 yes! i do feel old, but in a mature sense. I look older than my actual age which may be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. I recall once I was working for a college professor in a wood workshop, and he asked me if i wanted to grab a drink afterwards, i go "i dont mind as long as they dont card, im 19 btw." As a result people come to expect more from me (for the age they think i am), and when i dont meet those expectations they're just disappointed. Im from nyc, and usually its not common to address people as such. but i suppose it would be better than using the oudated 'mister'! funny story dggirl! Link to post Share on other sites
cutegirl Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I hate being called miss, I find it condescending, I prefer to be addressed as "Ma'm" even though I am not married. I'm 28 and I feel like people are assuming too much about me when they call me "Miss." By doing so, I feel like they are ASSUMING I am not married. If they didn't see my ring finger, how would they know? The fact is that they don't know and they are just assuming. A lot of people my age are are married, so how would they know that I wasn't married (if they didn't see my bare ring finger)? They are just assuming and that is just rude. Ma'm just sounds more respectful and prestigious. "Miss" sounds like you're not being taken seriously and being taken as a joke. I'm sure that when I LOOK old I would want to be called "Miss" again, but since I look young for my age I prefer being called "Ma'm" because that just shows more respect. I actually get irritated when people call me Miss. It irritates me a lot. Link to post Share on other sites
Capatinacen Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I get called "Miss" and "Ma'm". I don't have a problem with it. I like being called "Miss" instead of "Ma'm." Makes me feel older then I really am so I'm glad I don't get called that a lot. I think that some people just use that interchanging without realizing what they really mean. I've done that before without thinking twice about it. Link to post Share on other sites
maoserr Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 As a student, I never get called 'sir', that and I don't look old. But think about those 22 yr old with phd's getting called "Doctor", now that must go to their head. Link to post Share on other sites
Capatinacen Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 As a student, I never get called 'sir', that and I don't look old. But think about those 22 yr old with phd's getting called "Doctor", now that must go to their head. Actually that would be sweet. I'd love to be called that at such a young age but there are problems with that though. People might think their to young but you have to start somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites
jetsetjessica Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Yea, I definitly learned how much french people value respect. My french teacher has us conduct a conversation with her for a speaking grade. I went to ask a question, but accidentally said " tu aimes ecouter a la radio" instead if "vous ecoutons a la radio"...the rest of the conversation was basically her ranting about how young people in america are brought up with no respect..well as much as I understood of it. I really didn't realize it made such a difference. Link to post Share on other sites
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