How We Greet One Another

[InLove]

Hello/Kindest Regards/Shalom/Salaam/Namaste/Howdy/Peace to All Here!

(I know that is not an exhaustive list of greetings by any means!)

I thought about posting this thread in the Lounge, but since I think it will necessarily involve some "religious" conversation (at least, I hope it does), I have put it here.

I would love to examine the significance (religious or not) of different greetings we use here in CR. I think it would be helpful and educational and I suspect there will be some humor involved, as well.

Anyone interested?

InPeace,
InLove

[ISFP]

nothing too special about my greetings...

i usually just say "hey all" or address the person to whom i'm responding!

[I, Brian]

Well, as soon as you mention different greetings, I think of Phyllis...

[Dor]

yep nothing to special about my greetings usually hey yall.

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Zdrastvuitsye, hola, shalom, salaam, Dia dhuit, namastar ji, ciao, hej, konnichiwa, ni hau, aloha, cześć, merry meet, squeak, meow, arf, :wave:.

What I use for a greeting depends upon quite a number of factors:

1) What species I'm greeting (I greet felines with a pleasant "meow" [which most return], canines with a quiet arf, etc.)

2) If the "greetee" is homo sapiens sapiens, then I try to figure where the person is from (a person from Portugal probably wouldn't have a clue as to what I mean by "Dia dhuit", and some Chineese people would be insulted if I used "Konnichiwa" because of the strained relations between China and Japan during WWII)

3) What is the greetee's status? Is s/he above me/below me/my equal? In some cultures, status is everything (in Japan, you don't dare use informal terms for someone who is your elder/boss/sensei/"superior" unless the person is your SO, and sometimes not even then. I'm not exactly sure about the other Eastern cultures)

4) What are the surroundings? I once took a couple of classes with one of the Japanese language TAs (one was Japanese, the other was a dance class) and, in the language class, I had to use the formal greeting whereas, in the dance class, she had to (because I was asked to help teach the class, so I was the "superior" both in age and station within the that class)

5) Did the person previously give me permission to be informal/"familiar"? One of my former professors hates formality while another one of my former professors requires it, and they're both Euro-Americans (actually, the one who hates formality is metis, which is European/American Indian mixed heritage)

I "dance" through so many different things whenever I greet someone that the meanings behind the greetings are almost secondary if not lower on the priorities list.

Sorry if I didn't answer your question directly.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by InLove

Hello/Kindest Regards/Shalom/Salaam/Namaste/Howdy/Peace to All Here!

(I know that is not an exhaustive list of greetings by any means!)

I thought about posting this thread in the Lounge, but since I think it will necessarily involve some "religious" conversation (at least, I hope it does), I have put it here.

I would love to examine the significance (religious or not) of different greetings we use here in CR. I think it would be helpful and educational and I suspect there will be some humor involved, as well.

Anyone interested?

InPeace,
InLove

When we greet someone (particularly in a way they are familiar with and we are not), we become personal. That implies that we consider the one we greet, to be equal and we are attempting some form of intimacy. This in turn is considered a compliment (by most people). It also implies that we are deliberately placing ourselves in a slightly lower position from the other at the beginning, with the "hope" that they will raise us back up to their level.

Just my thought.

v/r

Q

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, InLove!

Oh my, can't begin to match Phyllis! In my "real" life, I tend to use "howdy" or "hey", of course "hello" on the telephone.

I learned pretty quick that emotion is often lost online, so I use the greeting I do here to help set the mood for what I have to say. Perhaps you have noticed, on rare occasion, I begin instead with "kind regards" (for when I'm only mildly miffed) or on one or two occasions with "regards" (when I am much more miffed). I don't know if this is what you are after in particular, I have no particular religious connotation attached to my greeting. It is simply my way of setting the stage for what I have to say.

-With Kindest Regards, Shalom!

[lunamoth]

I also don't have any particular religious meaning in the greetings I use. I like to use the word Dear in my written salutations to remind myself, as much as my addressee, that we are sister/brothers and no matter where we agree or disagree we indeed are dear to each other.

peace,
lunamoth

[InLove]

Hi, and Peace to All Here!

Thanks everyone for the great replies. Each one is interesting and enlightening to me. How one little word like "dear", for instance, can really mean so much when we think about it. (I have always thought it kind of odd that we use that greeting here in the U.S. for just about anything--even a consumer complaint letter: "Dear Mr. or Ms. So-and-So, I am writing you for the third time to tell you that your product stinks and if you don't refund my money in full, I will be seeing you in court." Of course, we can employ the words, "To Whom It Concerns", but then I always wonder if what I have to say actually concerns anyone.) I know that in many other languages--Spanish, for instance--there seems to be more of a variety of common greetings that are used for specific purposes.

Originally submitted by Quahom1

When we greet someone (particularly in a way they are familiar with and we are not), we become personal. That implies that we consider the one we greet, to be equal and we are attempting some form of intimacy. This in turn is considered a compliment (by most people). It also implies that we are deliberately placing ourselves in a slightly lower position from the other at the beginning, with the "hope" that they will raise us back up to their level.

This is very important in some cases, I believe. For instance, is it presumptive for a non-Muslim to greet a Muslim in a certain way that goes beyond simply Arabic and crosses into more Islamic meaning? (This has been explained on to me on the Islam board, but I would love to see some discussion here also--perhaps Thipps could enlighten us all a bit more, if time permits?) The Muslim greetings and replies are beautiful and fascinating and they build as the conversation continues--at least that is what I think happens. What I remain a bit nervous about is what Muslims consider to be appropriate language for me to use. Is any of this making sense?

I kind of have the same concerns about the Jewish greeting "Shalom". Is it appropriate for me to use when greeting a Jewish person--I think the answer is yes, but I would like to hear about the greeting from a Jewish perspective.

Also, I wonder if someone will come in and elaborate a little on the greeting, "Namaste". The meaning has been explained to me in ways that vary a little, but all explanations have been so beautiful. It very well may be my favorite of all. Is it appropriate for anyone to use, and what is the history behind it?

I have also seen "MM" recently--I don't know what it means--anyone?

InPeace,
InLove

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Originally posted by InLove
I have also seen "MM" recently--I don't know what it means--anyone?

Here's the answer to your question:

Originally posted by Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine
merry meet

It is used among some of the neopagan community (bgruagach can be more specific about this.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[InLove]

Thanks, Phyllis--Yes, now that you mention it, I have heard that. Guess I just did not make the connection. And I would love to here from Ben on this, as well.

InPeace,
InLove

[InLove]

Or "hear" from him "here"--either way.

(Reminder to self--preview, preview, preview.)

InPeace,
InLove

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by InLove

Or "hear" from him "here"--either way.

(Reminder to self--preview, preview, preview.)

InPeace,
InLove

Spell check would not have worked in this case, unless you had grammar check as well...

v/r

Q

[InLove]

We don't need no stinking speel check!

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by InLove

We don't need no stinking speel check!

LOL, I recognize the "Cheech and Chong" variation on a theme...I just hope there was a grin behind it.

v/r

Q