Is it polite to answer, "Yes sir/No sir" or "Yes ma'am/No Ma'am" to someone well under your age level?

It’s easy: politeness is always welcome. If it’s a stranger, and they either naturally elicited a “yes ma’am” from you out of respect, or because it’s your habit to say Yes, sir – then all the better. They’ll say: “Call me Jim”, don’t worry.

More people should “have that problem”, imho.

:-)

In what setting? Here? You don’t have to call AstroChuck “sir,” no matter what he says. In the real world, I think the environment matters a bit. For instance, in a corporate workplace, the culture of the organization would rule. I’ve never worked anywhere that had that custom. But in retail you might address customers with terms of respect. The usual practice for your locale as well as your business or organization should be the determiner. Can you tell us what you’re freaking out over?

@Jeruba – Who’s freaking out? Are you on dope? Then gimme some…I was just being a drama-queen. I like to check to see who might be reading the whole question. YOU WIN!

I agree with @Jeruba I always do, get used to it re. Astrochuck – but then he’s only six. No-one says “Sir” to a six-year-old. Right, Ma’am?

;-)

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being polite. However, people can misinterpret things.

It’s a habit drilled into me by my parents and reinforced by the military.

At 52, I still say yes/no sir/ma’am to anyone, regardless of age.

I think it would be. It couldn’t hurt, and you may make the person feel good.

Depends. It can make a very young person feel quite awkward.

In the online world we’re sometimes facing the opposite problem. Expressions like yes, mam or no, sir are not used in an online forum like Fluther. Which totally makes sense. On the other hand, I’ve encountered a few teenagers who really knew very little about science for example, posting very disrespectful answers with expressions in them like ‘a foolish thing to say’ etc. In the real world this is very unlikely. In the online world with nicks and avatars and very short profiles without age it’s far more common.

It depends on the tone of voice. Some people can say “yes ma’am” in such as nasty tone of voice, it’s not meant to be polite, but rather meant to be in insult.

@YARNLADY: I get what you mean. The way Spock said “Live long and prosper” to the Elders of Vulcan in the latest movie sent chills up my spine.

That was certainly no sign of respect.

Being polite would be welcomed in all circles and at anytime! By answering a young person with “yes/sir” etc., would be setting a good example for that person to emulate!

Yes, if they outrank you.

No. It’s not polite to call women “ma’am” when they certainly are not a ma’am.
Otherwise, it is a polite thing to say.

@casheroo Really think it is a generation gap on this issue. My generation, you were required to say yes ma’am etc….today, most people don’t require their children to use these words to address a person. Not a wrong or right issue, but the way people were trained as a child!

@Cotton101 I’m 23, and when people call me “ma’am” I correct them. No one wants to be called a ma’am. I know it’s a generation thing, but even old ladies hate it.

@Cotton101 I’m in the same “fluther” as you in this. It’s the way I was brought up, reinforced vigorously with a strap, then perpetuated by many years of military service.

cool Casheroo…i’m 63 and never met a lady my age that did not like it…but, i’m sure they are out there!

@casheroo LOL my mother HATES to be called ma’am. I had a friend in high school who called her that and she not only corrected her, but told her to call her by her first name.

I was never taught to call people sir and ma’am, so I’m not really sure when/where it’s appropriate.

I do it with my 2 boys and their friends. Somebody has to teach them and it sadly is not our school system nor our society that seems to want to.

I taught my children to say sir and ma’am. They have families of their own and when I respond to them it is with a sir or ma’am. Just a good habit to get into and it is showing respect to them no matter what age.

Usually when I hear it, it is with tongue in cheek, or a term of endearment, rather than formal politeness.

It’s important to be mannerful in public, but if I was interacting with people a lot younger than I was, I would not address them as “Sir or madam.” I reserve those terms of address to people OLDER than I am, or about the same age as I am. An older person need not, and should not address a young person as Sir or Madam. That would not only be wrong, but strange. We address our elders and people who are older in this way. For those younger, we just have to be polite to them and show them respect (that is, if they deserve it).

My paernts make me answer all adults with yes sir, no sir, yes maam, or no maam. It is polite and respectful and is required in my family.

TravisR

As a teacher, I lived in one of my principal’s office, He wished to be called Joel and I was taught to say Mr. and Mrs. to all superiors and yes sir and yes ma’am. I could not break this habit with him and he sent me to counseling for being a wise ass. I can never forgive this man for that. I was just giving respect.