Being called ma'am by shop assistants?

[floralsilkbonnet]

Never before and then twice in the last few weeks. Is it my age (I'm nearly 40, but the shop assistants looked to be a similar age to me) or just something people say now? I don't know if 'Madame' would have been worse or better.

I don't think I like it and I'm not sure why. I wanted to say 'I'm not the queen' but that would have been rude so obviously I didn't.

Its polite.

people get their knickers in a twist over trivial things.

would you rather nothing was said?

They are trying to be polite. Get over yourself.

Nothing more than being polite

Where is the issue?

🙄and

It marks the start of your transition to respected older woman! I found it so bizarre when it first started happening to me, but now I like it. If someone calls me Miss, I think they're being cheeky!

We call every female 'miss' where I work. It's our 'culture' I suppose

I understand they're being polite, but yes I'd rather they omitted the term. It's still polite with that mode of address not included, so just a thank you is fine. I've only heard it twice in my lifetime (a holiday to the US a few years ago, where it appears to be standard, not included).

The men who called me ma'am were my age, one was possibly older.

I'm trying to remember if I've ever been called Madame now. I don't think so, not in the UK certainly.

Ma'am is American. ? I can't get worked up about it . I see as it respectful way of greeting a stranger
Same with Miss. I haven't heard that for ages come think of it .
I work retail I get called , babe, darling , lovely and my 1st name which is on my name badge ( which I actually found cheeky but amusing cheeky ).

Get over yourself.

You aren't young anymore. Comes as a shock, doesn't it?

I remember the first time in France I was called Madame and not Mademoiselle.

oh my god i think you have too much time on your hands if you're upset about this.

I thought it was American. I've never heard it in the UK before and none of the friends I asked have either.

I did want to know if this was a new thing, which is partly why I posted to ask. I did look it up first and apparently someone asked similar here back in 2011!

Ma'am is British, and the female equivalent of sir. Still used to address female royals..
I rather like it, they're just trying to be polite. I wouldn't be happy with "miss".

Oh I've had 'Madame' in France for years

I actually wish it would happen more often. It’s the same as saying “yes sir” when communicating with a respected customer or client.

You could get a t-shirt with 'Don't call me ma'am!!' Printed on it

Lovely polite women at a local takeaway calls all women Mam and the men Sir.

it's very common in Indian culture and some "old skool " Jamaican people.

I love it.

Husband was in the military. I was always called ma’am at functions etc.

The hyperbole in the responses on this thread is surprising (and quite funny!) OP isn't allowed to have an opinion about what someone calls her, without being told to 'get over herself'.

@floralsilkbonnet It's probably to do with the gradual Americanisation of language and culture. So much of what we are exposed to comes from America now, so it's not surprising, really.

Never been called Ma'am or Miss here in the UK. My no longer young moment was when a woman told her child to 'mind that lady', and in the absence of any other grown up, non girl, lady person in the vicinity, I realised she meant me!

I’d rather that than sweetheart or darling or love or some other twee patronising shit people seem to address folk these days.

I really dislike it too. If people want to be polite then they can just talk to me normally and not talk to me like I'm some old dignitary. Not sure why other posters are so bolshy about your thread. I find it pompous and outdated. (although I prefer to being called 'my lovely 🤔)

Its a completely unnecessary. Why are people trying to resurrect it?

I'm.a teacher. There is a boy from Nigeria who refers to me as this- it's a sign of respect

Nothing to do with Americanisation of language and culture. It has been in use in Britain since the 1600's