I tend to use "mum" since that has gotten quite popular to use it even in German. But while I use it if I am writing English I find it quite silly to use that when talking German. But that is only me, many people seem to think different here :D
I prefer my own version when talking to my mum and not some "new German" ;-)

Yes. But it doesn't just have to be a woman in authority, it can be a polite way to address any woman. Such as a police officer addressing a female suspect as ma'am, or a shop assistant referring to a woman as ma'am. It's simply a polite address for a woman.

What language is native in switcherland anyway? Germany?

I don't know this land you are talking about but if you mean Switzerland it has four official languages but one is not really spoken anymore besides some small villages. The three used ones are German, French and Italien since Switzerland has three parts in where one of the languages is the normally spoken one.

Thank you ma'am.. Or madame gogger.

I know many people think like this. They don't like how English words are replacing their own. Like in Italy, where the army recruitment posters were recently printed in English and not Italian. China has even attempted to ban certain words, so as to stop them "polluting" the Chinese language.

It is not like I am really against it, if people are happy with it, I don't care. But for me my "Ma" was always my "Ma" since even before I knew English and it will not change :D

I don't like adapting.. toilet paper is too white and socks are too dark it will be never good. =)

Ma is also used in England in certain regions. England has many different regions that have their own dialects and words (some as foreign to other parts of England as German would be). I guess this could make it hard for someone coming here and expecting everyone to speak the Queen's English.

I've heard the term 'yes mum' used many times when addressing a woman of authority, that's why I thought it meant ma'am (pronounced 'mam'). Or is ma'am pronounced the way I would pronounce 'mom', 'o' as in mop not moment?
Any idea how mother became mum? I believe ours was actually of mother's day card origins. :/
Wow, this even confused me, and I wrote it. Good luck. ;)

I think that is true for most languages. There are so many dialects in German that you can go to regions and not understand a word they are saying :D

It plays like a damn fiddle.. oh.. never mind I just had to get off that my chest.

Haven't heard the word Ma in ages. When I was young it was considered impolite because it was usually spoken in a whiny voice when you were complaining about something.
Oh Maaaaaaaaa! I don't WANT to clean my room! :-)
Pa was also used for Father and was more acceptable but it was usually pronounced 'paw'. ;)
Another brief glimpse into the sordid life of tinyE. :-)

Interesting. In German I heard this used rarely. For me it was a logical shortening of "Mama" :D