Sir and Ma'am

Roma says that I have not yet picked up the Texas accent.

Maybe not. But I have picked up the Texas way of speaking, the most notable of which is addressing others as Sir and Ma'am. And having come from New England, it took some getting used to.

Addressing people as Sir and Ma'am is a "southern thing." Children are taught from a very early age to address others in this manner. And the lessons are further reinforced in school. The south is very big on politeness and manners.

Does that mean that the north is less polite because Sir and Ma'am are not considered proper forms of address there?

Maybe.

Northerners are different. They are more reserved, and that can often be construed as their being more aloof.

But that could also be due to the fact that the north, especially New England is incredibly densely populated - so much so that people have greater "personal space" issues.

And because of these "personal space" issues, direct eye contact can sometimes be interpreted as a sign of aggression and hostility.

"Who you looking at?!"

So in order to avoid undue problems and possible confrontations, people have taken to being reserved.

But that still does not explain why New Englanders don't address each other as Sir or Ma'am.

New England women especially resent being called Ma'am.

My friend Barbara works at a hospital in Providence. There was a resident there who came from Texas. Barbara and her co-workers promptly reprimanded him for calling them Ma'am because they said it made them feel old.

But that's not the case here in Texas, where I heard middle-aged sales clerks call young female customers Ma'am.

In Texas, and very likely throughout the south, Sir and Ma'am have no age distinctions. They are just polite forms of address.

And I kind of like that. It adds a nice gentility to the people and place.