Does the term "ladies" bug you ?

[pixiewings71]

See, that was my problem with it too. I know they are being respectful so I'm not mad about it or anything. I guess I think of a ma'am as an old lady. I wonder if it has anything to do with where you are raised. I grew up here in California and no one I knew was ever taught to say that when speaking with adults. To me it sounds like a southern thing, but I don't know. I was taught to call adults Mr. and Mrs. though.

I was taught to say ma'am and sir as a child, but my Gma is from Arkansas and Mom was born in Missouri (pronounced Missoura, not Missouree) so that might be true.

 

[bumbershoot]

Being called "ma'am" doesn't bother me either. Especially if you are talking to someone from the South, or from the military.

Absolutely.


And actually, there's just no good alternative to "ma'am". If you're a cashier, what are you supposed to call them? "Yes ma'am" is better than "yes, lady", "yes Miss" (when you don't identify with Miss), "yes Mrs" (which doesn't even sound right, even if you identify with that), "yes Ms" (again, sounds silly, and people who don't like Ms can get VERY unhappy with it", "Yes woman"..... Ma'am is just the go to form of address, if you need to put something after "yes", or when you're calling out to someone who has forgotten an item/bag/etc.

I was in my early/mid 20s in SC, so I was lucky to transition to "ma'am" while there. NOt as shocking to hit 26 and be called ma'am, when you'd had EVERYONE saying that (along with Miss, especially b/c I'm a Molly and EVERYONE, no matter where they come from or if they would even know about the song, will at some point call a Molly "Miss Molly").


As for "lady", it all depends. Ladies Trip sounds better than Women's/Woman's Trip. Or Girl's Trip. Or IMO Divas Trip. (let's just ignore the apostrophe problem I'm having here)


But "Hey" before just about anything is ugly! Unless you're in the South and it just means "hello". Especially when coming from a 3 year old dragging it out to 3 syllables. That's just darned cute.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I don't actually mind Ma'am at all. Growing up on Navy bases I was first called Ma'am at the age of 14 ( I was all ready 5' 9" , so better safe than sorry for some poor sailor) so it doesen't make me feel old. However, Mrs "Last name" is still my Mother in law LOL !!

 

[bonofreak]

I don't mind the word "lady" at all, in fact I thought it was a nice word. The only exception being like everyone else is saying, the "hey, lady!" is definatley a no-no.

On a kind of funny note; I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my 2 year grandson this week and he kept pointing at everyone around us asking, "What's that, Grandma?" (meaning actually WHO'S that) and I was answering him by saying, "Oh, that's a lady shopping." And then he started saying at the top of his lungs, "HI, LADY!!!" to everybody around us. They all were saying "hi" back to him and they were all amused by him, and then he started saying it to shoppers that were waaaay at the end of our aisles. I thought of this when I read this thread!

 

[bonofreak]

I don't mind the word "lady" at all, in fact I thought it was a nice word. The only exception being like everyone else is saying, the "hey, lady!" is definatley a no-no.

On a kind of funny note; I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my 2 year grandson this week and he kept pointing at everyone around us asking, "What's that, Grandma?" (meaning actually WHO'S that) and I was answering him by saying, "Oh, that's a lady shopping." And then he started saying at the top of his lungs, "HI, LADY!!!" to everybody around us. They all were saying "hi" back to him and they were all amused by him, and then he started saying it to shoppers that were waaaay at the end of our aisles. I thought of this when I read this thread!

 

[bonofreak]

Oops! Sorry I did that one twice!!!

 

[mommaU4]

Ladies Trip sounds better than Women's/Woman's Trip. Or Girl's Trip. Or IMO Divas Trip. (let's just ignore the apostrophe problem I'm having here)

I always alternate between Ladies Trip and Girls Trip. LOL I can't seem to pick one and stick with it.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I don't mind the word "lady" at all, in fact I thought it was a nice word. The only exception being like everyone else is saying, the "hey, lady!" is definatley a no-no.

On a kind of funny note; I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my 2 year grandson this week and he kept pointing at everyone around us asking, "What's that, Grandma?" (meaning actually WHO'S that) and I was answering him by saying, "Oh, that's a lady shopping." And then he started saying at the top of his lungs, "HI, LADY!!!" to everybody around us. They all were saying "hi" back to him and they were all amused by him, and then he started saying it to shoppers that were waaaay at the end of our aisles. I thought of this when I read this thread!

Well, that's too cute. Your grandson can shout Hi Lady to me anytime.

 

[21yankees]

The term 'ladies' is very respectful. I was 17 (13+ years ago) when I entered the Air Force. During basic training of course we always said Ma'am and Sir. Our technical instructor (drill instructor) always had choice words for us and then when she was leaving at the end of the night she said "Good night ladies" and to us it was like we were pleasing her and that she respected us because we were reaching the goals she had set forth for us. Ma'am doesn't bug me either.

steph

 

[pixiewings71]

I don't mind the word "lady" at all, in fact I thought it was a nice word. The only exception being like everyone else is saying, the "hey, lady!" is definatley a no-no.

On a kind of funny note; I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my 2 year grandson this week and he kept pointing at everyone around us asking, "What's that, Grandma?" (meaning actually WHO'S that) and I was answering him by saying, "Oh, that's a lady shopping." And then he started saying at the top of his lungs, "HI, LADY!!!" to everybody around us. They all were saying "hi" back to him and they were all amused by him, and then he started saying it to shoppers that were waaaay at the end of our aisles. I thought of this when I read this thread!

Oh that's cute!!! He can call me Lady anytime.

 

[bonofreak]

Oh that's cute!!! He can call me Lady anytime.

Thanks, Pixiewings and Pinkbudgie!!!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Okay this reminded me of one of my favorite Disney movie lines from Aristocats:

Marie: "Ladies first"
Other Kitten (forgot which one...): "You're not a lady, you're nothing but a sister!"