I wouldn't be offended by the term madam, however I was less than pleased to be addressed by a young male sales assistant of about nineteen as ''love''.
I don't think anyone has ever addressed me as madam, I would be looking round for my high class hookers if they did!
Browsing in a sex shop once, my OH was addressed as 'squire' which made me snigger far more than the massive dildos and blow up dolls on display.
As a customer I have on more than one occasion got too familar with whoever is serving me. I'm in the habit of saying 'thanks darl' to members of my family which is fine but I cringe when I say it to shop staff by accident.
It wouldn't bother me ,i'd much rather be served by polite and friendly staff than those who barely look you in the face ,and finish the transaction without uttering a word ,
Well madam, I don't think that it is at all upsetting madam, and in fact the person is just demonstrating a high level of customer service and courtesy madam
I had the same experience at my local corner shop, - it was excruciating:
The guy behind the till was about 10yrs younger than me, and determined to be ultra professional. I didn't have the nerve to ask him to stop saying "madam", but I haven't been back since.
I agree. Being addressed as "Sir" in the course of normal, everyday shopping transactions isn't civil, it's servile.
In it's own way as vulgar and downmarket as being instructed to, "Have a nice day".
On the other hand being called sir always reminds me of those American films where the police pull over a motorist and start calling him sir before doing something nasty to him.
I've always been taught that polite address is sir or ma'am but in a shop today the man serving me called me madam constantly. It was literally
Hello madam?
would you like the hangers madam?
Did you think everything you were looking for madam
anything else madam?
That's £20 madam?
thank you madam.
After that one I said 'I don't mean to be rude but please stop calling me madam' He acted really shocked but to me madam is a lady who runs a brothel not a girl in her 20s buying a dress. Would anyone else feel a little weird over this?
I much prefer it to being ignored by assistants while they finish their chat.
At least he was keen to help you!
I dont mind Madame..dont mind being called most things (politely!)..but for some reason whenever anyone calls me Dear..I hate it..I always seem to associate someone saying "Dear" with a put down but trying to sound friendly with it..dont know why.
Isn't madam for older women, and miss for us younguns? I've been called madam once or twice but I can't get too offended because I'm not even a legal adult. There's no mistaking me for a madam, so I figure the person addressing me is just a dafty.
I used to love being called "Sir" in a shop when I was a teenager.
I really can't stand it. It makes me feel ancient. I am 48 and will never feel old enough to be called it! I tell the people who call me it too. It sounds so false and pretentious.
I don't mind Ma'am as in America as they use that for females of all ages.
I've always been taught that polite address is sir or ma'am but in a shop today the man serving me called me madam constantly. It was literally
Hello madam?
would you like the hangers madam?
Did you think everything you were looking for madam
anything else madam?
That's £20 madam?
thank you madam.
After that one I said 'I don't mean to be rude but please stop calling me madam' He acted really shocked but to me madam is a lady who runs a brothel not a girl in her 20s buying a dress. Would anyone else feel a little weird over this?
Really weird. Used to go to a Turkish chip shop when I was in college where the owner kept calling me Madame. He also turned out to be a pathetic pervert so I have issues with that term of address.
If I'd just met someone I would likely introduce myself or be introduced.
If I was in a shop, hello, hello there, good morning, anything like that is fine. Unless the assistant is severly cross eyed and I can't tell whether she is looking at me or the guy stood next to me, then I don't see why a madam, ma'am, your excellence, or anything similar is necessary.
If I'm buying a dress or eggs, I don't consider it much of a formal occaision really.
Comments
Browsing in a sex shop once, my OH was addressed as 'squire' which made me snigger far more than the massive dildos and blow up dolls on display.
As a customer I have on more than one occasion got too familar with whoever is serving me. I'm in the habit of saying 'thanks darl' to members of my family which is fine but I cringe when I say it to shop staff by accident.
In it's own way as vulgar and downmarket as being instructed to, "Have a nice day".
The guy behind the till was about 10yrs younger than me, and determined to be ultra professional. I didn't have the nerve to ask him to stop saying "madam", but I haven't been back since.
I remember being called a cheeky little madam when I was younger though..
I much prefer it to being ignored by assistants while they finish their chat.
At least he was keen to help you!
Well I never knew madam could make someone uncomfortable, learn someting new ev......
I don't think there is any need to use outmoded terms like Madam, Sir etc. Heck we left the Victorian days long ago
I used to love being called "Sir" in a shop when I was a teenager.
Ma'am pronounced mam is an Americanism, Ma'am pronounced marm is definitely British.
It's perfectly normal to be called madam in a shop, not sure what everyone's fussing about...
Is it 'madam' if you're not married and 'mademoiselle' if you're married? Or is that the other way around?
Of course all this assumes the person knows the lady well enough in the first place.
I don't mind Ma'am as in America as they use that for females of all ages.
Mademoiselle if you're a teenager, Madame for anything older.
I remember the first time I was called Madame in a bar in Paris when I was 17... I was so proud...
I was going by the French Open tennis. Married and they are addressed as Mademoiselle for Mrs and Madame for Miss.
Maybe the married players are just considered old.
Tis t'other way round - Madame is for married, Mlle is for un-married.
Madame literally means Mrs. Mlle means Miss.
But in shops (which is what I thought you we were talking about) - you'd be addressed as Mlle as a teenager & Madame thereafter.
Really weird. Used to go to a Turkish chip shop when I was in college where the owner kept calling me Madame. He also turned out to be a pathetic pervert so I have issues with that term of address.
Thank you Christa.
Come to think of it - they do use Madame for married players. Singletons are just addressed by their surnames.
I really should have paid more attention during French lessons when I was at school.
If I'd just met someone I would likely introduce myself or be introduced.
If I was in a shop, hello, hello there, good morning, anything like that is fine. Unless the assistant is severly cross eyed and I can't tell whether she is looking at me or the guy stood next to me, then I don't see why a madam, ma'am, your excellence, or anything similar is necessary.
If I'm buying a dress or eggs, I don't consider it much of a formal occaision really.
I agree, at least they are being polite and courteous, which is more than could be said for some shops you go in.