[Vocabulary] Ma'am

[holdenenglish]

Dear teachers

Is it appropriate to address my very senior female boss in the office "ma'am" in a conversation with her?

Regards

Holden

 

[Rover_KE]

Probably. Has she not told you how she wants to be addressed?

 

[MikeNewYork]

It would be "Ma'am".

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, it wouldn't work. "Ma'am" is what it is sometimes appropriate to call the Queen. You can use "Madam" in some circumstances but it's incredibly formal and I can't imagine any boss (however senior) expecting to be referred to in this way.

Note that in BrE, "Ma'am" is pronounced "Marm" (it rhymes with arm). In AmE I believe it sounds like "Mam" but with an elongated "a".

 

[holdenenglish]

Dear teachers

Thanks very much. So shall I assume that the chauffeur addressing Lady Smallwood (not Queen) "ma'am" would be kind of over as in Sherlock (screenshot)?

Regards

Holden

 

[MikeNewYork]

As far as I know, "Ma'am is a contraction of Madam, with the apostrophe replacing the d.

 

[emsr2d2]

It is a contraction of "Madam" but they're not interchangeable in BrE.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Odd.

 

[Tdol]

Note that in BrE, "Ma'am" is pronounced "Marm" (it rhymes with arm). In AmE I believe it sounds like "Mam" but with an elongated "a".

That is a common pronunciation, but when addressing the Queen, you should pronounce it with a short vowel sound, like mam​, though not many people know this.

 

[Tdol]

Thanks very much. So shall I assume that the chauffeur addressing Lady Smallwood (not Queen) "ma'am" would be kind of over as in Sherlock (screenshot)?

It would sound dated to me. And I do use sir/madam.

 

[emsr2d2]

That is a common pronunciation, but when addressing the Queen, you should pronounce it with a short vowel sound, like mam​, though not many people know this.

I'm someone who didn't know that. I don't know why I would. I don't think I'm going to be called up to address Her Madge any time soon.

 

[Jill Dorchester]

In AmE, "ma'am" is always appropriate when addressing a female over the age of majority, although it's preferable (from the female's point of view) to be addressed as "Miss" until she's about 30 years old. (It is often a bit of culture shock for American women - the first time they were addressed as "Ma'am" instead of "Miss" by someone. Made them feel old. ;-) ) But in the US "Sir" and "Ma'am" are common forms of address for adult males and females. It can be used as both a sign of respect (as when speaking to a female judge in court and saying "Yes, Ma'am") or when confronting a stranger ("Ma'am? Are you waiting for the Woodward Express bus? Do you know what time it will arrive?")

So, depending upon your location and the particular culture, I can't imagine "ma'am" being inappropriate when addressing a supervisor.

 

[Jill Dorchester]

Note that in BrE, "Ma'am" is pronounced "Marm" (it rhymes with arm). In AmE I believe it sounds like "Mam" but with an elongated "a".

As Sarah, Duchess of York, used to have her PR people advise Americans when it came to addressing her - "It's 'Ma'am', rhymes with 'Spam'."

 

[MikeNewYork]

That is the only way I have ever pronounced it.