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Do you call your Dad 'sir'?
- Thread starter Blue Velvet
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actually it wasn't even a point with since not all languages have an equal to sir or madam with the same usage 
i called and still call my parents "Mama" and "Papa"
for grand parents i add the first name for those on the father side
i called and still call my parents "Mama" and "Papa"
for grand parents i add the first name for those on the father side
I call mine Dad (feels odd now that I'm over 50!).
I *should* call him Sir ... he made it to 95 this year and is aiming for the ton.
I *should* call him Sir ... he made it to 95 this year and is aiming for the ton.
Never, my dad would think something was wrong with me if I did. I just call him dad. Or, "daddy" in the high pitched, sweet little child voice if I want something
Of course, I can call my parents anything (as a joke of course) and they don't care, we're all laid back
Of course, I can call my parents anything (as a joke of course) and they don't care, we're all laid back
We called our parents Mom and Dad. It was unthinkable to call them by their first names. I mean it literally never occurred to me until I heard a college classmate call her mother Julie to her face. And we had to tack in a Sir or Ma'am when speaking to people of older generations.
We also got slammed (verbally) big time for just saying "Yeah" or "OK".
This veneer of so-called civilization did not prevent us kids from finding plenty of other ways to tick off or disappoint our parents, I have to say!
We also got slammed (verbally) big time for just saying "Yeah" or "OK".
This veneer of so-called civilization did not prevent us kids from finding plenty of other ways to tick off or disappoint our parents, I have to say!
I was born around the same time, but being English, I never heard the term used until I started watching TV in the 70's in North America. I think it must be an old-fashioned USA tradition as all the old B&W TV shows like Dick VanDyke and Leave it to Beaver had the kids calling their Dad "Sir" but none of the English shows from the same period did.I was born in the early sixties, so I would have been about 14 or so at the time. The American kids at this particular school would have come from families that some ties to the military, diplomacy and the electronics industry.
Anyway, I'm glad many of you think it's weird too.
I remember wondering at the time why "Mom" never got the same treatment. Was she not deserving of the same respect as dear old Dad?
Patriarchy at it's height I suppose.
On the other hand, it's probably better to be loved than feared, so maybe Mom had it best after all.
Baba, has been always and forever.
It is Farsi by the way. I have realized most Asian languages have the "Bah" in the word dad.
It is Farsi by the way. I have realized most Asian languages have the "Bah" in the word dad.
I think when I was around 24 or so I started calling my old man sir. Don't know why I started, I guess maybe after I got out of that stupid teen phase and hashed out my relationship with him I gained more respect for him. See, he did not drive me out to the desert and make me dig a hole, if you know what I mean.
Still "Mum & Dad" for me... although my younger brother has irritatingly started calling our parents by their first names. No idea why, just presume its some sort of effort in his mind that now he's and adult with a mortgage/wife that he can do. It's just plain wrong in my eyes, the little weirdo!
I address him as "Dad"
I respond to him as "Sir"
Like, "Son", exclaimed the father. "Yes, sir", responded the son.
But, I would begin with "Dad, are we going to ____ today"
Thats the way it was with all the boys I grew up with as well.
Mom got the same treatment. (with Ma'am)
I respond to him as "Sir"
Like, "Son", exclaimed the father. "Yes, sir", responded the son.
But, I would begin with "Dad, are we going to ____ today"
Thats the way it was with all the boys I grew up with as well.
Mom got the same treatment. (with Ma'am)
It might just be because his wife does it and he doesn't want her to feel awkward in any way.
I personally call my dad sir all the time, i cancel important things when he needs me all the time, i also do so for my mom and older brothers. I am very close to my family and i am very lucky for that, i think thats what makes us stronger as a family.
I never understood this calling people 'Sir' thing. I've never ever heard anyone in England call their parents Sir or Ma'am unless they were taking the piss.
The only time I ever said Sir or Ma'am was when I was at school and I couldn't remember the teachers name.
The only time I ever said Sir or Ma'am was when I was at school and I couldn't remember the teachers name.
I don't call my dad sir but I do think its cute to hear the little southern kids saying sir and ma'am to adults. It just sounds so polite coming from them but so snarky when coming from a Yankee.
When my kids are playing sometimes they'll say in a very proper voice something like "would you like a chocolate ma'am" like they think service people say sir or ma'am.
When my kids are playing sometimes they'll say in a very proper voice something like "would you like a chocolate ma'am" like they think service people say sir or ma'am.
Ok so I have these epiphanies every once and a while that are obvious to everyone but me.
Monday during Pre-Calc class I realized that Ma'am is an abbreviation for Madam. I kinda freaked out.
Yea, I don't use the word ma'am either 1) because it's spelled obscurely (and now I know why) and 2) southern people say it
Monday during Pre-Calc class I realized that Ma'am is an abbreviation for Madam. I kinda freaked out.
Yea, I don't use the word ma'am either 1) because it's spelled obscurely (and now I know why) and 2) southern people say it
I think here in the US we use sir and ma'am more with strangers, especially in situations when a customer is talking with an employee.
At least I used it all the time when I worked retail a few years back. It seems natural to me. Even today I called a random stranger ma'am
I did read somewhere that supposedly people think ma'am is rude, and they prefer "mis". IMO I think "mis" is rude. Sounds snippy to me.
But I do not call my dad sir. I just use dad. I don't know anyone who uses sir to refer to their dad.
sometimes
I sometimes call my father 'sir' and I see nothing wrong it.
It is respectful and shows that I respect him.
Usually when I call him 'sir' is when I have dissappointed him and feel really bad for it, and usually thats when he expects a 'sir' from me which is fair enough,but sometimes I call my father 'sir' just because I want to like the other day I was doing the dishes and he said , 'Lily could you set the table?' and I said ' yes,sir' simply because I felt like showing him that respect.I didnt feel forced or felt like I would make him angry if I didnt call him 'sir', I said it because I wanted to.
There is however a fine line between saying 'sir' sometimes and saying 'sir' on every sentence,for people who feel they must call their fathers 'sir' on practically every sentence indicates that the relationship between them isnt very good.
But really at the end of the day to address your father as 'sir' is a nice thing to do, it isnt weird and is alot more respectful than saying just 'dad', and believe it or not there are some people out there who not only agree it is respectful but who actually LIKE calling their fathers 'sir', because they love them and sometimes they want to show that by saying 'sir'
I sometimes call my father 'sir' and I see nothing wrong it.
It is respectful and shows that I respect him.
Usually when I call him 'sir' is when I have dissappointed him and feel really bad for it, and usually thats when he expects a 'sir' from me which is fair enough,but sometimes I call my father 'sir' just because I want to like the other day I was doing the dishes and he said , 'Lily could you set the table?' and I said ' yes,sir' simply because I felt like showing him that respect.I didnt feel forced or felt like I would make him angry if I didnt call him 'sir', I said it because I wanted to.
There is however a fine line between saying 'sir' sometimes and saying 'sir' on every sentence,for people who feel they must call their fathers 'sir' on practically every sentence indicates that the relationship between them isnt very good.
But really at the end of the day to address your father as 'sir' is a nice thing to do, it isnt weird and is alot more respectful than saying just 'dad', and believe it or not there are some people out there who not only agree it is respectful but who actually LIKE calling their fathers 'sir', because they love them and sometimes they want to show that by saying 'sir'
No i call mine dad, and my other grandparents either nanna or pop.
If i serve a elderly man at work i will call him Sir if i don't know the first name
If i serve a elderly man at work i will call him Sir if i don't know the first name