There are times we need to address strangers, or get their attention politely without screaming, "Yo!". I've heard a million different ways of doing it:
- "Excuse me, Sweetie"
- "Pardon me, Lady"
- "Yes Ma'am"
- "Thank you, sir
No one seems to have a problem with "sir". (Occasionally someone might say, "Sir is my Dad..." but whatever). Everyone has a problem with "Sweetie". But when my parents put me in the spaceship and sent me here, they gave me a lot of instructions, leaving out the one that tells me how to address an unfamiliar woman without issue. "Yes, Ma'am" gets issues.
So, my question is, if "Ma'am" doesn't work, "Sweetie" would get me slapped, and "Baby" - well that's just suicidal- Ladies, how would you prefer to be addressed?
Personally, I like ma'am, but I was raised to have antedeluvian manners that have made me a walking anachronism. I don't know any woman though who is offended by Miss or Ms. -- like in, "Excuse me, Miss..." to catch someone's attention or Ms. as a title, like in Thanks, Ms. Jones.
ReplyDeleteMa'am would be my choice as well.
ReplyDeleteFrom a stranger, I don't like any of those choices...hmmm...how about "beautiful"?
ReplyDeletetee hee
Depends on country.
ReplyDeleteIn U.S. "Hey Yankee bitch come over here and tell me..." a.s.o.
In Australia "Hey you crazy oppossum.... " a.s.o.
In UK "Hey sexy sadie, wanna earn a spanking? Then come and tell me how to find...." a.s.o.
In Afghanistan "Alahu Akbar, Mullah Omar, yo think yo wife know how find road to Kabul" or the like
:-)