How do you define being a Snob!

I am used to being called 'Love' by shop assistants in the North of England and it doesn't bother me one bit. I prefer it to the total lack of eye contact I found in London.

Well, no, I hadn't heard of it then, either.
I hasten to add, I do know the above pronunciations aren't correct - my late SIL used to call it that and it just stuck!

No tiramisu in wednesbury in the late 60s. Cheese and biscuits or trifle!

And tyra mysoo!

jeni! We call it mine strone too!

The waitress at the anchor hotel in wednesbury, where all the doctors had a monthly lunch together, used to ask 'do you want the thick or thin soup dears?'
She also insisted on calling the minestrone the mine strone.
She was a lovely lady and made sure 'her' doctors were well looked after

I think madam is much more patronising than dear. People who call one dear are usually trying to be kind whereas people who call one madam are usually being pompous.

But how about when they call your husband "Sir" and then call you "Dear" ?

I cringe when on overseas holidays the staff in hotels and restaurants insist on calling you "Madam" and are over the top polite and subservient! They may have to or are hoping for a large tip, but it's not for me!

if i ever come into money, remind me to book with cunard!

I must admit I find it very strange to be addressed as 'madam' in a shop!

It even extends to cruise ships would you believe!
On Princess ships, the waiters insist on calling you by your first name
OnCunard, it's mrs dr or madam!

Which reminds me of a receptionist we had in Wednesbury. We had a large Pakistani and Bangladesi population. We could never get this lady to ask for their first name instead of their Christian name?
With 4drawers of Singhs and and equal number of Kaurs, it was important to know!

The shortest name we had was O.

Maniac, I think self knowledge is a good step along the way.

My ex is in a small care home with very pleasant staff.I visit him occasionally He (a retired academic) is rather grumpy and makes disparaging,sexist remarks to me about the other residents and staff.
One day I said to him 'you are such a snob'.He just glared at me but on my next visit said 'I've been thinking -you're right I am a snob'.I doubt if he can change now .

He's being polite? Maybe it's company policy.

He thinks he is showing respect - and it seems many people would want to keep the distinction.
I used to call tax-payers 'Sir' or 'Madam' if I did not know their name when they rang with an enquiry. It is easier in France, you just use Madame and Monsieur.
My dad used to say 'I don't mind what you call me as long as it is not late for my dinner'. I think I agree.

What I hate is when someone calls me Mrs X and then refers to themselves by their first names. So, the kitchen fitter will say, hello Mrs X, it's Barry. No matter how often DH and me refer to each other by our first names, fitter insists on Mr and Mrs.

What's that all about?

harrigan, I had to smile at your choice of names! We didn't get too many Tarquins or Beauchamps in the bottom streams of my inner-city comps on Merseyside! I knew all my pupils extremely well, including many details of their home background and they knew exactly whom I meant. First names worked for me.

What I do object to is one person expecting to be called "Mrs X" while addressing the other by their first name (between adults of course). Different if both parties address each other as Mrs X or Mr Y. The days of "Upstairs Downstairs" have long gone I hope?

I do agree with you granbunny, I get upset for older people when I hear carer/nurse calling them by their first name. A little respect please. Greatnan use of surnames at school works, my son's school operated this system and it saves confusion. Five Benjamins, three Tarquins etc, so much easier to be Smythe, Beauchamp and so on. Okay brothers in the same school then became Smythe major and minor.

bags (also shows affection!), I agree with every word you say. It took me many years to acknowledge that I was as good as the next woman - or man. My ex tried every trick in the book to dent my self-esteem and, to an extent, he succeeded. Being on my own and 'doing my own thing' was the making of a different persona. My identity does not depend on what other people call me.

nanac - and try to believe, I hope!

I've always been very shy and lacking in self-confidence,which I cover by making people laugh. My mother's mantra to me was you are as good as anyone else, if not better,which I do try to remember!

Being an inverted snob is not good!

I always wanted a nickname at school but I was not sufficiently popular!

Badly written - calling you bagitha expresses my affection..............!