To be annoyed with how he addressed me?

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

I am an expert in my field. Got a random linkedin message from a man who is specialising in my field, he wants to make connections with people like me, fair enough.

He addressed me as "Dear Dr/Mamma "

I've half a mind to message him back to point out that he's being unprofessional/crass/women can be described as other than holding a doctorate or being a parent.

AIBU to think "fuck off"?

Or, is this just a cultural difference between a surly Scottish woman and an enthusiastic USA male?

I would think it is more likely to a typo for Madam than Ma'am. I know Americans say Ma'am, but surely that is more in oral conversation rather than in formal business emails? And I have never heard Ma'am Surname in any context.

Or it might be that he is not a native speaker and he doesn't know how to correctly address you, as it just trying to be polite. I got an email a while back addressed to Dr/Lady Sonjadog. It made me laugh. I tried to get my colleagues to call me Lady Sonjadog, but they refused...

It’s clearly an autocorrect from ma’am. It’s used as a respectful way to address a woman in the US.

I remember an email conversation with a US album seller, years ago now, who was selling a pretty rare album I'd been looking for for a few years (for dh),, so I bought it from him, paid and everytthing. Then got a very embarrassed email from him saying that someone had nicked the actual album and all he had was the cover - would I like him to keep looking for a copy or would I like a refund? He was a nice guy and we'd actually chatted quite a lot over email, so I told him not to worry and to just "send me the dosh". He had never ever heard that term before and emailed me to a) check I meant money and b) ask for other terms.....

Thus began a small transatlantic friendship

Anyway, just ask him what is meant by that honorific, say you've never heard it before and over here it isn't used but when it is it means this.....

I bet he is mortified. Definitely worth messaging him back, he will never fail to proofread again!

What I don’t quite get is that if your Linked In profile said you were Dr surname, why he have to use any alternative at all?

Why would he mean Ma'am? He said Dear Dr/Mamma Surname. You wouldn't say Dear Madam Surname or Dear Ma'am Surname.

Hollow I agree! It's not a typo! He'd have said "Dear Dr Jones" if he had any brains.

As it is he's either called her Mama because he's a weirdo or he's written "Dr. Ma'm" because he's a wanker who couldn't quite bring himself to give her the full title of Doctor.

Either way, send him a message giving him short shrift.

I served as an officer and my soldiers called me Ma'am.

Once, during a senior meeting a Sergeant (who was older than me) said "excuse me Mother"!!!

A spoken typo! I was so embarrassed...and so was he.

Another vote for a typo especially with the use of the forward slash...

Odd way to address someone. I'd be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt for now and assume it's a typo for the formal 'Dear Madam'. That's even though it's usual to use 'Dear Dr van Arkle' OR 'Dear Madam', rather than a combination of the two.

Doesn't matter whether it's a typo. Your title is doctor. He clearly knows that as he addresses you as Dr in the first instance. So really, any additional honorifics are unnecessary. I might be wiling to have an open mind and research standard approaches if he was from a country with a very different culture, but America? No.

I’m not sure how Mamma is a typo? Did he mean to write Dr/Mrs? Still not acceptable!

It's more likely to be a typo?!

@Twizbe

I think it may be a typo. If he's in the US he might have meant Ma'ma.

In some areas (particularly the south) ma'ma is a very formal term of respect

That is 'ma'am', not 'Ma'ma' which is 'Mama'.

Howdy Ma'am.

I think it was probably a typo.

Typo - but if not proof read perhaps an indication that he might have messaged a lot of people ?

Poor Sod probably has my iPads brother!

I'd definitely assume Apple issues, rather than a deliberate thing.

@Twizbe

I think it may be a typo. If he's in the US he might have meant Ma'ma.

In some areas (particularly the south) ma'ma is a very formal term of respect

Eh? Google is bringing up nothing for ‘ma’ma’ being a term of respect. Why would you call a woman ma’ma instead of Dr?

I have an American friend, from New York, he always calls me Mamma, and any other lady we know too.

Do the people who think it wasn't a typo think he deliberately called the OP "mamma"? Really??

Probably a typo for Ma’am. I occasionally teach American students in the UK on exchange programmes and have been addressed as Ma’am and my male colleagues as Sir. Needs to check for typos though!

Mamma is not an appropriate substitute for Dr. Would he call a male doctor Dadda?!

OP you have to respond because I simply MUST know if it was a typo or he meant it!

I'd check if he meant Ma'am. If so, just an Americanism. If not, hand him his ass!!

Haha! It's got to be a hilarious autocorrect, surely? He's probably cringing, like when you accidentally say 'Love you!' at the end of a phone call with a colleague!

Soup I think it was a typo in that he meant to write Ma'm but that he did this because he's a dick who didn't want to write just Doctor because OP is a woman.

Its probably a typo.