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calling your parents ma'am/sir

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  • 20-09-2019 6:15pm
    #1
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭


    Is this exclusively American? I was watching a YouTube episode of The World's Strictest Parents and in some, they made the teens call them ma'am/sir.

    I think though they just did that cause they weren't their parents and just other adults and wanted them to show respect. Surely they don't make their kids call them ma'am/sir. That's just weird. But maybe not according to some.

    Have you ever heard that here?


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    #2
    EmmetSpiceland
    Registered Users Posts: 10,541 ✭✭✭✭EmmetSpiceland


    A friend of mine called his mother “mammy” well into his late teens, probably still does.

    He got an unmerciful “slagging” over it. Among other things.

    The tide is turning…



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    #3
    RWCNT
    Registered Users Posts: 1,430 ✭✭✭RWCNT


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »
    A friend of mine called his mother “mammy” well into his late teens, probably still does.

    He got an unmerciful “slagging” over it. Among other things.

    That's pretty cute tbh.

    I don't want to paint with a broad brush, but anyone who has their kids call them "sir" is probably a nutter.


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    #4
    BDI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭BDI


    The worse is the edgey hip teenagers that call their mothers by their first name like it makes them so cool and badass.

    Couldn’t even make themselves a cheese sandwich.


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    #5
    NickNickleby
    Registered Users Posts: 1,817 ✭✭✭NickNickleby


    I'm 64 and I address my mother as "Mam", the Irish version (or Yorkshire) not the American "ma'am". No one slags me for it.


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    #6
    Vita nova
    Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    Never heard an Irish person call his/her father sir but as you know it's very common to call one's mother mam in Ireland which is a homophone of ma'am.


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    #7
    banie01
    Registered Users Posts: 16,498 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    A quite serious question that is tangential to constant shít posting of the O.P...!
    How to I put someone on ignore if I'm using the legacy site on mobile?


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    When I was in secondary school, my Mum had to write a note to explain my absence on the day before.

    She wrote, "Miltiades wasn't in school yesterday as he had to help his Daddy with the calves"

    For years after, if I was late for anything, my friends would say "We're you helping daddy with the calves?" I dont see why it was strange to call your Dad Daddy tbh, but it was cringe worthy at the time.


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    #9
    BDI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭BDI


    banie01 wrote: »
    A quite serious question that is tangential to constant shít posting of the O.P...!
    How to I put someone on ignore if I'm using the legacy site on mobile?

    Ask your kids to help you.
    I’m sure they will reply with a yes, sir.


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    #10
    corner of hells
    Registered Users Posts: 8,359 ✭✭✭corner of hells


    banie01 wrote: »
    A quite serious question that is tangential to constant shít posting of the O.P...!
    How to I put someone on ignore of I'm using the legacy site on mobile?

    I feel your anguish , unfortunately I can't help you .
    I'm in work all weekend so can't drink however I'm thinking of eating a dead badger I found on the road.
    She's not happy with this but I'm hoping to get sectioned from A&E after I recover from food poisoning and/or rabies.


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    #11
    Ficheall
    Registered Users Posts: 9,018 ✭✭✭Ficheall


    BDI wrote: »
    The worse is the edgey hip teenagers that call their mothers by their first name like it makes them so cool and badass.

    Couldn’t even make themselves a cheese sandwich.
    I've always called my parents by their first names, since that's what everyone else called them.



    And my cheese, Tayto, and apple sandwiches are top notch.


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    #12
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    OP watches an extreme case on YouTube and extrapolates it to life in Ireland. You need to get out more.


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    #13
    BDI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,005 ✭✭✭BDI


    Ficheall wrote: »
    I've always called my parents by their first names, since that's what everyone else called them.



    And my cheese, Tayto, and apple sandwiches are top notch.

    Oooooh awkward.


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    #14
    LizT
    Registered Users Posts: 29,089 ✭✭✭✭LizT


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »
    A friend of mine called his mother “mammy” well into his late teens, probably still does.

    He got an unmerciful “slagging” over it. Among other things.

    I’ve friends from Northern Ireland in their 30s that still say mummy and daddy. Seems to be common enough up there.


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    #15
    simongurnick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,919 ✭✭✭simongurnick


    The yanks use sir and maam a lot in general, especially texas.


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    #16
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,796 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Its exclusively American.


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    #17
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,858 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Military culture.


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    #18
    banie01
    Registered Users Posts: 16,498 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    BDI wrote: »
    Ask your kids to help you.
    I’m sure they will reply with a yes, sir.

    You mean talk to the little Bollox?
    Really? Like approach him as a near equal with a modicum of respect to make a request for help?
    Rather than order him to do it?

    Ah feck it, I'll just click on the desktop option stick the textually diarrhoea afflicted keyboard vomited on ignore the old fashioned way :P


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    #19
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,570 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    Marian Keyes calls her mother Mammy Keyes.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008j6q


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    #20
    blackcard
    Registered Users Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭blackcard


    Calling Bob, Jim, Tom, Dan as Bobby, Jimmy, Tommy and Danny is okay but calling your mother mammy is something you should be slagged for? Get over it, it is only a word and it shows serious childish immaturity to slag someone over it.


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    #21
    nkl12xtw5goz70
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,497 ✭✭✭nkl12xtw5goz70


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    Is this exclusively American?

    It's not common at all there. Most American children would call their parents mom and dad. I have never heard an American child call his or her father "sir".


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    #22
    Badly Drunk Boy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,462 ✭✭✭Badly Drunk Boy


    One of the lads in work (who's in his early 50), often refers to his 'Mammy'. It sounds slightly funny but I've no problem with it. The only comment I've heard anyone make about it was from one of the women, who thinks it's cute.


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    #23
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    Ma'am/sir is certainly over the top unless one's parents are titled. For the rest of us, 'Mother' and 'Father' are the appropriate terms. I find 'Mama' and 'Papa' too casual. 'Mater' and 'Pater' just pretentious. 'Mum', 'Mam', 'Dad', etc, well, your fate in the lower echelons of society is inescapable.


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    #24
    El_Duderino 09
    Registered Users Posts: 19,981 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Vita nova wrote: »
    Never heard an Irish person call his/her father sir but as you know it's very common to call one's mother mam in Ireland which is a homophone of ma'am.

    It's a shortened version of mammy.


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    #25
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    Alfredo Grumpy Supplement wrote: »
    It's not common at all there. Most American children would call their parents mom and dad. I have never heard an American child call his or her father "sir".

    I've heard a kid saying it once or twice in Georgia. Must be more common in the Bible Belt.


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    #26
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,829 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Mam, Dad. Simple...I’d find it fûcking weird for anyone to call their parents...Patrick, Marion etc to be honest. Why do people just have to be weird.


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    #27
    mr_fegelien
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭mr_fegelien


    The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »
    Ma'am/sir is certainly over the top unless one's parents are titled. For the rest of us, 'Mother' and 'Father' are the appropriate terms. I find 'Mama' and 'Papa' too casual. 'Mater' and 'Pater' just pretentious. 'Mum', 'Mam', 'Dad', etc, well, your fate in the lower echelons of society is inescapable.

    I wonder if it would be acceptable to call your dad sir if he was for example knighted. Like Andy Murray's kids saying to their friends, hey sir.


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    #28
    Sardonicat
    Registered Users Posts: 12,378 ✭✭✭✭Sardonicat


    Married couples addressing each other as Mammy and Daddy is a bit weird.

    On that note, John Lennon called Yoko 'Mother', even before she had Sean.

    The Sir, Ma'am thing is probably cultural. Irish people are very informal, we pretty much address everyone by their first names . Having dealt with American customers in a call centre, most of them addressed me as ma'am. I found it very grating but they were just being polite. I think expecting your kids to address you this way is extremely authoritarian. I doubt it's common practice.


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    #29
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    I wonder if it would be acceptable to call your dad sir if he was for example knighted. Like Andy Murray's kids saying to their friends, hey sir.

    I dont think so. I think its really only appropriate for hereditary titles.


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    #30
    Vita nova
    Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    El_Duderino 09 wrote: »
    It's a shortened version of mammy.
    I know, hence a homophone, different meaning and spelling but the same pronunciation.


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    #31
    Sardonicat
    Registered Users Posts: 12,378 ✭✭✭✭Sardonicat


    mr_fegelien wrote: »
    I wonder if it would be acceptable to call your dad sir if he was for example knighted. Like Andy Murray's kids saying to their friends, hey sir.

    If they were knighted, were conferred with an honoury doctorate and held a PhD you would have to say 'Sir Dr.Dr. Dad'?


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