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[Zyphos]

I've been using "Sir" or "Ma'am" for as long as I can remember.

It's been both a helpful and hurtful habit to have now that I'm in the Military.

 

[daviyoung]

Well, calling someone "sir" doesn't necessarily come with the tip of the hat and a bow. I have a hard time imagining mocking laughter and strange looks or even appreciative nods at such a throwaway addressing, but maybe that's how it works over there.

I call strangers any number of things though: buddy, man, guy, chief, lady, miss, ma'am. Whatever the hell comes to mind in the instant.

in every day conversation it's just a strange thing to say, like "lady" or "miss"...it's just a quaint Americanism

 

[Valhelm]

If a strange is older than 25, I pretty much always call them sir or ma'am.

 

[Graphics Horse]

how do you guys feel about elo guvner

I prefer to call everyone Mister.

 

[kehs]

elo mister guvner sounds weird though

 

[daviyoung]

how do you guys feel about elo guvner

like how you feel about howdee pardner

 

[anarckitty]

Seems more like a weird authority fetish to me. But hey, I'm English and we've seen the Atlantic divide on this one.

lol. I can assure you it's not a weird authority fetish. I guess it just depends on where you're from.

 

[Meier]

Depends. Pretty much all the time on the phone if I don't know the person. Depends on their age in real life, but more often than not. Just how I was raised (born in FL).

 

[Lombax]

All the time, because I consider it to be polite. I make damn sure to say it in the presence of a Police officer / Statie / Armed Service member.

 

[kirby_fox]

I use sir a ton. As long as someone is working, they are a sir.

Ma'm I've heard makes women feel old, so I try not to use it.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I have never called anyone in my life "sir" or "ma'am".

 

[NekoFever]

All the time, because I consider it to be polite. I make damn sure to say it in the presence of a Police officer / Statie / Armed Service member.

See, as a civilian, using it to address a police officer is even weirder to me than using it to address a random person. Unless you're sucking up to try to get out of a ticket or something. I'd expect a police officer to refer to a member of the public as sir/madam, however, given that they're a public servant.

Weird how this differs so wildly on either side of the Atlantic.

 

[The Iron Yuppie]

Not southern here, but I use them fairly regularly. Just sounds good/polite when you don't know their name. There's no superiority to it at all, just common decency/respect for another human being. I use it primarily at work when requesting something or thanking someone for effort on their part, especially if they're in another department and I have no direct authority over them.

It's just a respectful replacement when you don't know their name off hand as well. I worked a call center for a cell provider in college, just goes naturally especially if you lose track of their name while you're actually doing something for them.

 

[Aurongel]

Not southern here, but I use them fairly regularly. Just sounds good/polite when you don't know their name. There's no superiority to it at all, just common decency/respect for another human being.

Yep, I'm pretty much the same way. I don't know why some people think I'm trying to make some social/political statement when I refer to them as sir or ma'am. My girlfriend's dad for example refuses to let anyone call him sir but also won't let me refer to him by name. No one benefits from that.

 

[Beaniedude]

Whenever I have to get someones attention and I don't know their name I always use sir / ma'am.
How else am I meant to do it without sounding rude?

 

[Drazgul]

I just stare at them.

 

[sixteen-bit]

seldomly

 

[jelly]

I generally just say thanks or excuse me to be polite or get someones attention. Sir or Miss if I really had to. Anything other than that, never ever. Generally people just want you to call them by their first name anyway in my working life, over the phone or otherwise. It's so much nicer and grounded.

It's has a superiority quality I despise though I understand that doesn't resonate with others and is more par the course in some places.

Watching American films and TV, going to a friends house and addressing an adult as sir. ma'am is so odd to me and if I was ever asked to address someone like that I would politely refuse.

 

[Fracas]

I'll say it on occasion, if they're significantly older than me. It just sounds weird saying it to someone of the same age.

 

[Sonicbug]

I don't think I've ever called anyone Sir in a non sarcastic sense, but I've tried to avoid working in the service industry.

People calling me 'Ma'am' freak me out, because I always associated that term with older woman. Going on vacation down south when I was in my teens and twenties and being addressed that way lead to me responding 'do i look like a ma'am to you?' to some poor waitress. She was probably totally confused.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

Always

 

[Nostremitus]

All the time, OP. Unless I know that the person is an enlisted service member, then I don't out of respect.