Related to the 'First Name Basis' Thread
 

Do you think the that "Miss" is an outdated honourific? I don't really see many people use that, other than in pageants and with older, unmarried women (and in alumnae newsletters from my high school). Today, it seems that the more neutral "Ms." is used, in place of "Miss" (most women who ARE "Ms" tend to be unmarried, at least the ones I know). Ladies, what do you prefer? I personally prefer "Miss" on a more formal social basis, but will likely change my mind if I'm not married at, say 40. Professionally, I use "Ms." of course.

I prefer Ms. if necessary. I personally prefer just being called by my first name.

BUT, what I really hate is ma'am.............

I don't mind Mrs too much since it tells me VERY clearly that the person calling doesn't know me and is probably a telemarketer and therefore I can say "I'm sorry you have the wrong number". :D

Ughhh, me too! I'm not from the South, and people up North dont usually use it, but I'll hear it occasionally, and I can't stand it! Im only 23, and I dont feel old enough to be called ma'am!

I also prefer Ms. since I am in a professional field and I feel Miss is a very young term.

i prefer ms. miss sounds like a little girl and i don't like how it looks

I prefer Ms or Miss and don't think I would mind Miss even if I was married. Mrs annoys me because it is ASSUMING that since I am the age I am, I am married...and Ma'am just sounds ugly and makes me agitated.

At our one department store where they are trained to be obnoxiously friendly they have pretty much given up on calling me Honorific + my last name (because it's unusual and some people have a hard time with it) and just use my first name. Seeing as I'm there more than at some of my relatives' houses that's cool with me. :)

Personally, I love "Miss." Maybe it's old-fashioned, but then, in some things, so am I. I just can't stand the way that 'Ms' sounds when spoken... "mizzz." Yuck.

But I certainly have no objections to using it for someone else if that person expresses a preference for it. I just hate it for myself.

I always liked Ms., and especially now that I'm in my late, late, late 30s.
:p

Ma'am makes me look around for my Mother.I also prefer Ms or Miss. However,I think it is very disrespectful for a child to address an adult by his/her first name unless specifically instructed to do so.I help raise my 7 year old neice and she addresses all adults as Mr or Mrs unless she is told to call them by their first names and then it is still Miss Jane or Mr Bob,whatever their name happens to be.As someone who works with children,I find that often,if they know an adults first name,they will approach them,whether they know that particular adult or not.Perhaps a proper title causes a little distance and that isn't always a bad thing.

^5. Thank you for posting this about kids and first names.

Ma'am always makes me think of the Queen.
I'm not sure why.

I go by Ms. I don't mind Miss except when it's followed by a very patronizing tone. Which it is far too often.

Ditto.

Before I married in 2002, I loved Miss. I am from the South and just feel that it is so very feminine. Of course, I also use and am called ma'am all of the time. And at 25, I am not offended by being called ma'am. I just know that person is trying to show the ultimate courtesy. Quite often in my community, parents teach their children to say yes ma'am or yes sir as a matter of instilling manners. Planning NEVER:) to move to the North, I also will be teaching my son to use those terms.

I like Miss. Of course, I would prefer Her Royal Highness. ;)

What bothers me is some forms have eliminated Miss as an option so I am Ms. by default. Ms. used to be such a loaded word when it was first created and now it is very popular.

I love Miss. I hate it when people call me by my last name so Ms. S is not for me. But people like to call me Miss Christia and I love the way it sounds, so lady like and sweet. I don't feel like a little girl, no one every used Miss for me when I was little.

I am proud not to be married, I like poeple knowing that I am not married. Ms. some times gets confusing.

I will get my own classroom with in the next year, and I plan on going by Miss. Moore...unless boyfriend WhiteDaisy get's with it and I get a ring!! :p