A study of the word; 'ma'am'

  "Yes, ma'am"
   It's a southern thang.
   The first time I had ever been addressed as "ma'am" was when I was 19 years old and the roadies from the band "Alabama" were ordering meals from me at the restaurant I was working at. "Don't call me that",; I said, "It makes e feel old". "Oh, no; it's how we show respect"; the roadie answered.
     In northern Florida, I had heard it used by children as a "Yes, mommy dearest. Please don't hit me". I had heard it from a grocery store bagger who did not like me telling him not to put canned goods on top of my eggs in a bag.
     Here, in Louisiana, however; it is used at the end of nearly every sentence and sometimes is the sentence it's self. "Ma'am?" They didn't understand what I said.
    "Yes, ma'am"; you're interacting outside your class, a reminder from hotel employees.
      In a conversation I overheard taking place on a phone, Yes, ma'am" went from "I'm listening and understand" to "Reminder: we're acting civilly here", a corrective tone. It's all kinda like Guardians of the Galaxy's "I am Groot".