Past Friday I was at a bbq with a bunch of friends, including a couple of lads from the Sweden and Dutch girl who were staying at a friend's home. Since around here everyone kisses and hugs regardless of whether you are a stranger or not, it was interesting to see their awkward reactions, but eventually they got a hang of it.
That led to the discussion of greetings in our respective countries.
How do people greet each other where you live?
Around here -Chile- it's usually hugs and/or kisses unless it's a man you don't know or a woman in business situations (in both those cases, handshake). Up to 3 kisses if the man in question is your dad.
Country Australians personal space is as far apart as one fence post to the next (2 meters)
You say "g'day how ya going" the standard reply is "not bad" or "alright", then the other person says "and you" you reply with the standard reply.
In the city it's far more complex.
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In the city its a handshake if you're both blokes, and a hug/hug+cheek tap if one of you is female
In the CBD after dark it starts with a punch to the back of the head...
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During the hug is when you check them for weapons before you start your eye gouging and groin kneeing.
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It varies.
Greetings I've used includes: Nod of the head. Headnod accompanied by a sort of reverse whistle. Handshake. Hugs. Hugging someone and picking them off the ground.
I'd say the most common ones are the handshake between people who don't know each other previously or are only superficially acquainted, the hug between friends, and, for meeting-on-the-street-no-time-to-talk, the headnod.
yell 'huzzah' and make the metal horns symbol.
Nah, usually its 'whats up?' or 'sup?' with the headnod.
It might be useful if people post the country their talking about.
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Rural america: Hand wave, possibly by just taking the fingers off the steering wheel while keeping the thumb there
Suburbs "Hi"
City: No greeting, keep your eyes strait ahead in the 1000 yard stare or pick up a news paper.
Denmark: Slight nod and a "hey" in most informal settings. Handshake if it's more formal. Hug if you're drunk. :p
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In France, you usually hug very close friends (of the same sex) and kiss all other people in informal circimstances.
Handshakes for strangers, first meetings and business occasions.
Ah, and the number of kisses (on the cheek) varies wildly from a place to another. Here is a link to an Internet site used to determine the proper number of kisses to bestow on people you meet when abroad.
poorly
Ah, and the number of kisses (on the cheek) varies wildly from a place to another. Here is a link to an Internet site used to determine the proper number of kisses to bestow on people you meet when abroad.
If in doubt, 'none' is always a valid option. :)
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New England: You grunt at each other while passing like ships in the night. After two years of this, you say "Hello."
Usually Hello or Good Morning / Evening, etc, often accompanied by a handshake.
Within my circle of close friends we hug, but that seems to be the exeption.
Edit: Forgot to mention - Germany
You also forgot "Good Day". ;)
The weird thing here is that even friends greet each other with a shake of hands. Not to mention the he beginnings of a bow accompanying the handshake, especially when greeting women. As much as I want to suppress that, it still happens.
I prefer a simple "Hi" or "Hello".
In New Zealand, like this...linky
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Usually Hello or Good Morning / Evening, etc, often accompanied by a handshake.
Within my circle of close friends we hug, but that seems to be the exeption.
Edit: Forgot to mention - Germany
You also forgot "Good Day". ;)
The weird thing here is that even friends greet each other with a shake of hands. Not to mention the he beginnings of a bow accompanying the handshake, especially when greeting women. As much as I want to suppress that, it still happens.
I prefer a simple "Hi" or "Hello".
'Good Day' was part of the etc...as was the infamous 'Mahlzeit'...
Denmark: Slight nod and a "hey" in most informal settings. Handshake if it's more formal. Hug if you're drunk. :p
Obviously we hug a lot here in Denmark. ;-)
In ny, just a handshake.
'Good Day' was part of the etc...as was the infamous 'Mahlzeit'...Usually Hello or Good Morning / Evening, etc, often accompanied by a handshake.
Within my circle of close friends we hug, but that seems to be the exeption.
Edit: Forgot to mention - Germany
You also forgot "Good Day". ;)
The weird thing here is that even friends greet each other with a shake of hands. Not to mention the he beginnings of a bow accompanying the handshake, especially when greeting women. As much as I want to suppress that, it still happens.
I prefer a simple "Hi" or "Hello".
Oh gods, I tried to forget about that.
I miss the over-the-top Texan I used to work with. One time we were in a diner at 6 am, intaking enough caffeine to face the long dusty day of work in the desert ahead of us, when some little geek wearing a backpack came in.
My friend, possibly under the influence of too much caffeine, yelled, "Hey there, Mr. Backpack Guy!"
Everyone in the place stopped eating and stared at him. The guy with the backpack looked like a deer caught in the headlights. My friend kind of shrank into himself and said, much more quietly, "Sorry, man. Come on in!"
New-England.(USA) I feel like hugging my friends that I see once a week, it's rare that we do. Hi, (name). Is mostly how I greet people at work and socially.
In Wisconsin/Minnesota (US) in the winter, typical greetings include "How about that weather?!" and "Cold enough for you?"—uttered from 2–3 feet away (but hey, that's just making room for everyone's cocoon of coats and fleeces!). And the wave while holding the steering wheel that BigNorseWolf mentioned is reduced to raising your index finger.
In Seattle, hugging is mostly reserved for goodbyes.