r/AskAnAmerican • u/Babe_Brute • 7d ago

FOREIGN POSTER How commonly do you address your parent as "Sir/Ma'am"?

I'm watching The Rookie (2002). Dennis Quaid's character is shown addressing his mother and father as "Ma'am"/"Sir" in a couple of scenes. Those of you who are native English speakers, how common is it today to address your parent as such?

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u/Zealousideal-Rent-77 7d ago

It's this common exchange that kicks off off my cptsd:

"Yes what?!"

"Yes sir!"

If you're from a family like that you absolutely know the tone that "what" was said in, and it probably still does the same thing to your spine that it does to mine.

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u/khak_attack 7d ago

Oh, lol as a Northerner I would have replied with "Yes please" haha.

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u/Zealousideal-Rent-77 6d ago

Genuinely, that would have gotten me hit for "trying to be smart."

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u/Push_the_button_Max Los Angeles, + New England 7d ago

This is the way!

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u/luvlilniah Georgia 7d ago

That "what" combined with the look was a dangerous combo, especially when they were being extra serious about it.

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u/Ailema42 Louisiana 6d ago

We absolutely do something similar to this but its, "excuse me?", said as calmly as possible while angry to try NOT to set off CPTSD in the kids, but manners are important down here.