Obviously no body likes to be called ma'am then why people using it? Women especially like to call other women with this ma'am thing just to piss you off. I think it should be considered offensive, banned and agist, I know some will say it is just respect term but no I do not think so because people, no body likes it.

I live in the southern US and only the children here use ma'am and sir as a term of respect.

If a mother says something to her child, the child does not reply with "What?" The reply with "Ma'am?"

Where I am from it is a term for respect of your elders.

Different people get offended by different things. That's kind of minor in the grand scheme of things.

I use ma'am as a form of respect, too. Only rarely have I heard that some women do not like it.

... I'd like to see if this issue has ever been well surveyed...

I agree. It is form for respect but saying that in Europe its not used hardly ever these days, seems like its used a lot in America thou.
But its still respectful

If anyone watched old episodes of Saturday Night Live they used Ma'am in a derrogatory way.

I agree it's a form of respect but when someone your age says it is not and I think it is not flattering. If a woman likes a man and he said to her ma'am istead of miss I think she would be flatterd with miss more and like him better.

I wouldn't personally say I would like him better just because he called me miss and not ma'am...
But yes I personally would prefer a miss instead of a ma'am..

Ma'am is used for elders where miss is used for younger women. At least that is where I live.

If a child is told to do something in school they say, "yes, ma'am." However, if their teacher is Katie SoandSo they call her Miss Katie. So here where I live they are almost interchangeable.

This is reminding me of one episode in Will & Grace.

Where Grace came back to work after been shopping, walks in all stressed and says " this man, called me ma'am... now do i look like a ma'am to you" all agitated she was and not impressed!

I glanced at several webpages that speak of this (here) and most agree that it is acceptable in varying circumstances. I did not find any of them saying it's derogatory in any way.

No, I don't think it is derogatory, SNL used to do a skit using it that way, but I think it is respectable.

LOL... I am with "needKarma" on this one. I sometimes am put off by it because it makes me feel old (I am only 29). That's my choice to be offended or not. I think you should see where it is coming from, what were the intentions behind it. The english language is funny that way.

I don't think there is any need for any "ban" or legislation etc. - that continues the myth that women can't speak for themselves. If I was a woman and someone "ma'am'ed me - id say please call my Peggy, or Mrs XYZ etc. Real simple.

You can call me Ma'am anytime (heck, I'm old enough)!

I'm with aqua... I'm 26 (soon to be 27) and I hate being called ma'am as it makes me feel so old. If a clerk calls me ma'am in a store, I usually spend the rest of the day tormenting my husband by asking over and over again if I look old and/or fat lol. However, I agree with NeedKarma that it's not a big issue, and I certainly won't blame a poor clerk who's just trying to be polite. And most of the time I do still get called "Miss" or else "Mrs. Kohen" when I shop at Safeway and use my customer card. ;)

It is an interesting dynamic though, that men, as a matter of politeness, are called "Mr." and "Sir" throughout their lives, whether they are young or old, and as far as I've heard it's never offensive to them, excepting of course many male physicians (including my hubby) who prefer to be called "Dr." all the time haha. I guess "Ms." is supposed to be the proper, non-offensive female equivalent, but I rarely hear it spoken.

As I believe already said, it may well be a culture thing, if a child does not say yes ma'am and no ma'am to a adult they are liketly to get bopped here in the South. Even grown children here in their 20's and 30's still say that to older women in respect.

What should be not allowed is the yea and nahh answer too many kids today have adapted.

I totally agree with you Fr Chuck (and Janine!) with the politeness aspect for children. The children in my home are required to address my husband and I properly, but to me they just say "Yes, Mummy" or "Yes, Auntie". Other adults they address as Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so. They do say "Yes Sir" to my husband though sometimes. I never really thought of them calling me Ma'am, but I guess it would be all right since they are children. I mostly just don't like it from other adults, since as I said, it makes me feel old! :p

When I first moved down to Florida from N.Y. I found that to be part the cultural shock. This fella was helping with groceries in the trunk and he said ma'am so many times I could scream! It sounded like: old lady, old lady, oldie but goodie lady!
Now I know it's just the way they talk. But I will never say ma'am! Miss always comes out anyway.

Yeah, you just get over the ma'am. But now I look people sternly in the eye when they say that, thinking to myself "it figures" lol..

I consider "Ma'am" and "Miss Susan" (my real name for those who skipped the intro LOL) both part of the many beguiling aspects of the charming south and partially the reason I moved here, just so's y'alls know'd that now! The other great one I hear is that a southerner can say the most scathingly critical remark and get away with it simply by prefacing it with "Bless her poor pea-picking heart..." LOL