That sounds like typical very formal language everywhere. I have employees calling me sir and it always throws me for a loop. I don’t think I’ve called called someone sir in my entire life. I have used ma’am when trying to get the attention of a woman I don’t know, and that’s about as formal as I’ve been.
I don’t worry too much about how I address peers and superiors, but anyone significantly younger than me, anyone who provides a service to me, and anyone I am teaching gets a “sir” or “ma’am”.
That sounds like typical very formal language everywhere. I have employees calling me sir and it always throws me for a loop. I don’t think I’ve called called someone sir in my entire life. I have used ma’am when trying to get the attention of a woman I don’t know, and that’s about as formal as I’ve been.
I don’t worry too much about how I address peers and superiors, but anyone significantly younger than me, anyone who provides a service to me, and anyone I am teaching gets a “sir” or “ma’am”.