Question about British/American difference...

[bluesqueak]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Kimberly Davison" <kdavison at s...> 
wrote:
> Hi, I think this would be the right list to post this question 
> to...  I have noticed at least twice on separate occasions where 
> someone mentions how odd it would be for a British child to use 
> the term "sir"...  I had no idea this was uncommon in England, 
>could anyone elaborate on this a bit?  Is it considered rude?  Or 
> disrespectful?  In America it is a term of respect, and I had no   
> idea it was different over the pond!  :-)
> Kimberly Davison

'sir' is generally neither rude nor disrespectful, though in 
Britain, where sarcasm and irony are deadly weapons, it *can* be 
used in an ironic sense.

It depends on the school whether a child would be told to use 'sir' 
and 'miss' to refer to teachers. Hogwarts appears to approve of some 
formality - Harry is corrected by Dumbledore when he doesn't call 
Snape 'Professor Snape'. But the students don't seem to generally 
use 'sir' and 'miss' when talking to teachers. Unless it's common 
school practice, 'sir' would be very rarely used indeed by a child.

In modern Britain, it's commonly used in the military for juniors 
speaking to seniors, used by salespeople who have to call customers 
something other than 'er, whatever-your-name-is', and used if you 
bump into royalty, whom you must call 'sir' and 'ma'am'. It's 
certainly used much, much less than in America.

Hope this helps.

Pip!Squeak