Is saying "Sir" and "Ma'am" polite or out of date?

[Broheim]

here in Denmark we stopped using sir and ma'am decades ago (except for in the military, there's no ma'am in the military though so when adressing a female superior you have to use <rank><last name>), even the oldest of farts don't use them anymore.

 

[ViRGE]

being polite never hurt anyone
being rude is easy
learn to behave is hard

Indeed. There's never a wrong time to try to be polite.

 

[Kaido]

All the time when I worked in retail, to customers.

At my current job, only to high-up managers. It's sort of a respectful thing.

 

[Charlie98]

I say 'sir' or 'ma'am' as a reflex action from my upbringing, reinforced by the military. I do get criticized for it sometimes... it does seem absurd for a 47-year old to address a 18-year old server/cashier/etc as 'ma'am' on the surface, especially when their 'customer service' skills could use a little polish (i.e.: politeness is not part of their culture, if you see what I mean.) That would be the basis of a whole other thread...

I still call my aunts and uncles 'aunt' and 'uncle,' at least at first...

 

[destrekor]

Sir/Ma'am sounds way too submissive in this day and age for adults. The only exception is military or government.

I say sir to strangers here and there for fun and being polite. That's about it.

wow

yeah no. Being polite and being submissive are completely different things. If you say it and feel like your giving off a submissive vibe, then there's something wrong with the delivery and/or your presentation.

 

[velillen]

I use it all the time and see it used all the time at work. Mostly when talking to your boss or even bosses boss. People i ont know but know are above me I say Sir or Maam at least at first. Usually after you meet they prefer being called their name. Those are all civilians an most of us o the same. When i deal with military personnel they almost always call me Sir an i also call them Sir/Maam. Not all the time as you can get a feel by how they talk to you if you nee to or not.


Outside of work I use it all the time."Sir you dropped this or that" or "Yes Sir if you go right over there and take a right.."


If someone thinks thats being submissive then hey whatever but ive never had nayone complain for using Sir or Maam. At most they just say please call me last name or first name instead

 

[CoachB]

I, like several others above, had Sir/Ma'am drilled into me from a very early age. I'm 58 and address most people that way UNLESS we are co-workers or close friends. To me it is polite speech part of cordial social interaction.
Now, I can also, by tone, inflection, volume, etc. turn "Yes Sir" into a nasty response. I think, as with most forms of address, it is more how it is delivered than the words themselves.

 

[Maximilian]

Out of date. Tell people to fuck off instead :thumbsup:

 

[jimbob200521]

Polite when used right, I still use Sir or Ma'am from time to time, usually when talking with clients when I don't know there name.