For the women:
Do you prefer...Ma'am, young lady, dear, miss or hun?
For the men:
Do you prefer...Sir, guy, fella, young man, or son?
Also, how do you feel when you are in mixed company,(i.e. in a restaurant), and they call you (all) guys?
Thanks. Your serious comments on this is appreciated.
2006-10-17 11:37:05 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I prefer Miss. Dear or Hun is just demeaning.
In mixed company, I don't really like being called "guys," but I hate it worse when we're ALL women and still get called "you guys." Blech.
Best Regards,
Holly
2006-10-17 12:20:19 · answer #1 · answered by Holly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on age of the person being addressed. You dun call a teenager Sir or Ma'am when you are a much older person right?
It also depends on the position and seniority of the other person. For example, you wouldn't expect your dignified CEO to address you as Ma'am in the way that you would expect the young waiter
It is offensive to call a young pretty woman in her twenties Ma'am.
Ma'am is reserved for older women after or in their thirties, married and may or may not have children.
Dear is used by gays on gals only. Any straight man saying that deserves a slap. Some goes for hun.
When in mixed company, you should address the crowd as 'you', if you wanna be informal yet not offensive, you can use 'people' or 'peeps'.
2006-10-17 22:32:52 · answer #2 · answered by floozy_niki 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't really like Ma'am, young lady, dear, miss or hun. "Hey, you! Yeah, you!" would be sufficient for me. I also don't mind being addressed "guys" in a mixed group.
2006-10-17 18:40:00 · answer #3 · answered by i luv teh fishes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ma'am or miss is acceptable. The rest are patronizing. Also, I find it irritating when cashiers address you by name after a credit card transaction. I know they're trained to do that, but it's still annoying.
2006-10-17 18:54:46 · answer #4 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a female, when someone does not know me, ma'am will do. Being called "guys" in mixed company is fine. But here in Texas, they tend to say "y'all" or "you-all".
2006-10-17 18:41:55 · answer #5 · answered by DeDe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I prefer ma'am and guys is a perfectly acceptable group term for me
2006-10-17 21:31:58 · answer #6 · answered by Lori 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ma'am is the correct address for someone in my age category. "dear" and "hun (hon)" is too familiar and crude.
2006-10-17 18:44:08 · answer #7 · answered by Sherry K 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mademoiselle or Ma'am
most of the times I'm being addressed by the latter though I'm not married but this doesn't bother me at all...
2006-10-17 20:04:31 · answer #8 · answered by adorable 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. I prefer that they introduce themselves first, since they are approaching me. State what they want.
2. Then if I want to carry on a conversation with them, I will introduce myself.
2006-10-17 19:02:50 · answer #9 · answered by mitch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sir, from men, or young women. When young people are polite, they have my respect, as do their parents.
I like waitresses to be informal. Hon', darlin' or sweetie will do.
2006-10-17 23:28:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋