Does m'aam imply age seniority? I found it used a lot when I was in the southern USA and I just thought it was (non age specific) term of respect for an adult female? I guess Missy doesn't work though. What's better?

That's SUCH a dangerous line :) Some women will get offended if you call them Ma'am... because it makes them feel old. Some women will feel you're being disrespectful if you call them Miss... that you don't think enough of them to call them Ma'am.

My general rule (and I don't know how this applies in other parts of the country... this is the North, this could get me blacklisted in the South I suppose) is that if the woman is older than me, or married, she is Ma'am. If she's younger than me, she's Miss.

Use at your own risk :)

Ma'am is SO rude. There are very few things I hate more than being called ma'am. Since it is now the holiday shopping season (I kid you not, we have a tree up in my store) there's a lot of men coming in who would always say "Excuse me, ma'am, could you get me this sweater in another size?" I know they're just being polite but I HATE it. I try to avoid using ma'am/miss whenever possible.

Surprised. When I was in AL, use of Sir and M'aam seemed de rigeur for speaking to a member of the opposite sex without excessive familiarity and whom you didn't know.

Speaking as a Southerner, I'd prefer to be called "Miss" until I'm at least 30. Calling a 19 year-old Ma'am is awkward. But plenty of people down south do call younger women Ma'am because they were just trained in a psycho fashion to do so.

I've always wondered... what is so bad about Ma'am?

I'm 24 and I get called ma'am all the time... I don't mind... what is it about that word?

I'd rather be called that than "Hey, lady" or "Hey, You" :p

fear not, Kath... you're younger than me. You're a Miss :)