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do you use the terms "sir" and "maam"?

do you use the terms "sir" and "maam"?

  • Total voters
    52
brianmanahan

brianmanahan

Lifer
someone was giving me crap because they think if you don't say "sir" and "maam" when addressing people then you're not being polite.

i think they just sound antiquated and weird. nobody has said these things where i live for 100 years, my great-grandmas never even used those words.

if you still use them, why?
 
Up bringing and manners.

Why? I might beat your ass if you say "Hu" to my Mom in the teller line.

Pretty sure the local code of conduct would let me do the same regardless.
 
highland145 said:
Up bringing and manners.

Why? I might beat your ass if you say "Hu" to my Mom in the teller line.

Pretty sure the local code of conduct would let me do the same regardless.
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"hi" or "hello" is a perfectly good greeting though, nothing more is needed IMHO

the few times people have called me sir were awkward and i did not enjoy it
 
You can't use sir and ma'am without knowing how the person you're addressing self-identifies. "Sir" could trigger some people more than "hey you" would. It's a great time to be anti-social. Try not to talk to people you don't know and when forced to do so use a generic "Yo" so they don't get the mistaken impression that you care what they have to say.
 
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Red Squirrel said:
I think it really depends on the context. In a customer service situation I might use it, in a normal conversation no. It feels weird.
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I'd have to agree with that. I never use either but i'm not in sales, where i probably would use them & is about the only time i hear anyone use them.
 
brianmanahan said:
someone was giving me crap because they think if you don't say "sir" and "maam" when addressing people then you're not being polite.

i think they just sound antiquated and weird. nobody has said these things where i live for 100 years, my great-grandmas never even used those words.

if you still use them, why?
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They are an expression of respect. Proper manners are the grease in the gears of society, and are sadly not taught to our young.
 
I do use those terms, but not always. I'm less likely to use them with direct relatives, close friends, or everyday coworkers. I feel it's more formal, and use it when interfacing with people I don't know, or may only speak to during job related duties but don't work with on a regular basis.

I know that it's different everywhere you go. There's a Florida transplant that constantly calls me sir. I see this person on a semi regular basis. I told her stop calling me sir at the end of every sentence, it's not how we do things in my area 😛. At the end of our conversation is fine, but constantly just becomes irritating.
 
Sometimes, but more often than not, no. I handle it by talking to people like I've always known them, and we're equals. I'll use sir/ma'am if I'm calling to stranger in a public place, like seeing someone drop something at the store. That's gets everyone's attention, and the person I'm trying to contact will notice.
 
Oh yes when someone is nice to me, i certainly will say yes sir no sir yes maam no maam. Gotta give respect to get it though with me. I can show gratitude when needed 🙂
 
mopardude87 said:
Oh yes when someone is nice to me, i certainly will say yes sir no sir yes maam no maam. Gotta give respect to get it though with me. I can show gratitude when needed 🙂
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I don't hold this against others. You get what you give, a simple display of respect can disarm and diffuse an otherwise tense or escalating situation
 
Greenman said:
They are an expression of respect. Proper manners are the grease in the gears of society, and are sadly not taught to our young.
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in the cases where someone has called me sir, i felt that it conveyed no respect other than a silly title.

and in the case of sir or maam, it stopped being taught to young people over 100 years ago.
 
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