Speaking of southern speak, y'all in New Jersey do NOT like...

SouthernBellelovesaYankee · March 2009

Being called ma'am or sir. Holy hell!

I was working in Mahwah, NJ and one trip we were eating at the Stateline Diner (best food ever) and I replied yes ma'am and she flipped her shiit telling me she wasn't old and her name was Annie.

Um okay?

Then, someone explained to me that ma'am/sir is reserved for elders up there.

manda_mullins · March 2009

I made that mistake as well when I lived in NY last year. Everyone acted all offended at being called ma'am or sir.

smellycat15 · March 2009

LOL. Yeah I catch myself calling people ma'am or sir sometimes. I haven't gotten that response but some people are very sensitive I guess.

I love southern speak. My family is from Mississippi and still have an accent. MH can't understand my grandma because of it. My mom has an accent when she gets angry. Its hilarious. Some of my words come out with a twang occasionally. Its great!

Daisy22 · March 2009

Oh I know how you felt. I'm born and raised in GA but my grandparents lived in Cali most of my life. We went out there twice a year to visit. One time when I was in college I went out there and got chewed up and down for saying yes mama to a waitress. She was so offended by it. I didn't know what to do.

Mrs.Carlybella · March 2009

yup- if a student called me ma'am i would prob cry thinking i looked old

i would never flip out on someone though, especially a southerner

Little_Star · March 2009

Really??? My husband and I call people ma'am and sir all the time and we have lived here our entire lives. It must have been crabby Annie's problem!

Dorr_Evil_Twin · March 2009

it's crazy and true. when I moved to SoFla from NY, I was not used to being addressed as ma'am and took slight offense..but then realized it's a total respect thing..courtesy. and now I even use it all the time. it's a cultural/geographical thing..

Rizzo5 · March 2009

This is also true of 'miss.' Where I work everyone over the age of 40 is often referred to by most as Miss Brenda, Miss Diane, etc...

Someone tried to call my boss Miss Jane and she got very pissed and quickly corrected them saying she wasn't old enough for that yet! Just an FYI Smile

KimnCurt · March 2009

I definitely feel old when I get called ma'am but I don't flip out when I get called it. I usually get laughed at by DH though, he thinks its funny.

GigiFairy · March 2009

I don't really like being called Ma'am.. makes me feel old. But I understand if it comes from a Southerner

Tinkermeg · March 2009

Little_Star:
Really??? My husband and I call people ma'am and sir all the time and we have lived here our entire lives. It must have been crabby Annie's problem!

It must be a North Jersey thing...I've never heard of any issues with it.

Tinkermeg · March 2009

Little_Star:
Really??? My husband and I call people ma'am and sir all the time and we have lived here our entire lives. It must have been crabby Annie's problem!

It must be a North Jersey thing...I've never heard of any issues with it.

WaitingforOlivia2009 · March 2009

I'm from Massachusetts and I really dont like being called ma'm it makes me feel really old. It is definatley a cultural thing though, DH was in the military in North Carolina for 4 years and when I would go there everyone would call me ma'm I knew they didnt mean I was old and I would never yell at anyone for it!!

Embers · March 2009

Nah, must be a northern NJ thing- which by the way, should be a totally diffferent state. I say yes ma'am and yessir all the time and never heard a peep about it.

tuxcat · March 2009

I think it's more north jersey. technically we ARE below the mason-dixon line down here. Smile

but i still don't think i'd like being called ma'am by any one other than the bagger boy at the supermarket...

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Speaking of southern speak, y'all in New Jersey do NOT like...

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