Greetings - Ways to Say Hello

People greet each other in every country and culture. But they say and do many different things to greet each other. Greetings seem simple, but they are often a complex part of language. In English, people greet each other in different ways depending on the situation. People also use different greetings depending on how well they know the other person.

Greetings may also be different in different countries that speak English, in Australia people often say ‘G’day.’ In parts of the United States people may greet each other with ‘Howdy!’ or How you doing? In the United Kingdom people more commonly say ‘Hiya.’

But there is more to greeting than words. Some greetings also include particular movements. For example, in many places it is common for people to shake each other’s hands when they meet In some cultures, such as Latin America, the Middle East, Southern Europe, people kiss each other on the side of the face, the cheek. Some people give hugs by putting their arms around each other and squeezing.

So how do people know what to do, especially when traveling between countries and cultures? Jamie Bowlby-Whiting told about a difficult greeting experience on his blog:

“I thought they were going for the kiss. But it was the hug. Now I just wet their face. And then hit them in the nose with my head. It was so embarrassing (窘迫的)!”

People can avoid these embarrassing experiences. They can research how to greet correctly before connecting with people of other cultures. It is especially important to learn if there are any forms of greeting that may not be used in a particular country. For example, in some countries, like Japan, kissing is not considered a good way to greet someone. Sometimes cultures also have different greetings for women and for men.

A person may not always know the correct greeting. But the most important thing when greeting someone is to show respect. Try your best and apologize if you offend someone.

【小题1】What does the author say about greetings?

A．They are simple and a part of language.

B．They include words and body gestures.

C．They are the same in English-speaking countries.

D．They won’t bring embarrassment in different countries.

【小题2】Which of the following people may consider it improper to kiss when greeting?

A．the Japanese	B．the Mexicans
C．the Arabs	D．the Italians

【小题3】According to the author, how should people greet when travelling across cultures?

A．Do nothing at all.	B．Greet as they like.
C．Do as the Romans do when in Rome.	D．Greet as they do in their own country.