bajajudy - 6-17-2006 at 09:16 AM
It occurred to me today how many times a day I use those words, generally followed by como esta or como estas according to how well I know the person
addressed.
My questions to you Nomads who live on ?the other side? is ?How many times a day do you say good morning or good afternoon to people that you meet on
the street, at work, where ever?
TMW - 6-17-2006 at 09:39 AM
When I'm out walking I always say good morning or evening etc. At work it's usually the first people I meet in the morning but seldom if ever in the
afternoon or evening. I often stop by a store on the way home and it's usually a hello, how you doing type thing.
Oso - 6-17-2006 at 09:59 AM
I say "'uenas" most of the day, but then even though this is U.S. territory 99% of the people I meet are Mexicans.
Bruce R Leech - 6-17-2006 at 10:36 AM
Being in business I say those words sometimes hundreds of times a day, but I never get tired of it.
Natalie Ann - 6-17-2006 at 02:15 PM
I say those phrases or variations on them in any number of languages throughout the day. Also say please and thank you.
Bob H - 6-17-2006 at 02:28 PM
I always greet people with Good Morning/Afternoon, etc and I always ask them "How is your day going?".
elizabeth - 6-17-2006 at 02:35 PM
I use polite greetings all the time.
The difference is...when in the US it's only to people I know, because when I greet strangers they mostly think I'm nuts or dangerous or just ignore
me...same with eye contact.
When I'm in Mexico, I use those greetings with total strangers, and they return them...same with eye contact.
Always
MrBillM - 6-17-2006 at 02:55 PM
The ONLY occasions that I don't use the "formal" greeting is sometimes with close friends.
Back in 91, the first time we went to the Caribbean, I read in one of the Fodor's guides that one of the most common breaches of etiquette committed
by U.S. tourists was the informal greeting of strangers. The other was the wearing of improper (casual) attire in inappropriate situations such as
dining out. In the tropics, tourists are used to walking around in shorts and skimpy attire, but proper shirts and slacks/dresses are expected
everywhere except fast-food outlets.
One morning, having breakfast at the Hotel, my wife greeted the waitress with "hi there". The waitress paused, looked at her intently and said "Good
Morning, Ma'am". Point taken.
SiReNiTa - 6-19-2006 at 08:37 AM
hmm i guess i use them but since i live in mexico it's always nice that every one returns your smile with an even bigger smile and hello...that's what
i like about mexico...every one is so friendly!!
Paula - 6-19-2006 at 09:01 AM
Natalie Ann, What other languages do use in a day besides English or Spanish? Many possibilities in Berkely!
I say buenas countless times a day here in Loreto, and smile and say hi as many in Montana. But when I smiled and said hi to strangers in upstate New
York, they generally seemed to think I was odd. Maybe I should have said buenos dias?
SiReNiTa - 6-19-2006 at 09:03 AM
true but the real difference is that in mexico people respond to your "buenos dias" with a big smile most of the time and not just buenos dias and
walk on past as though we were going to do something or with a look on their faces pretty easy to see...and in other country's people are just plain
scared or take the wrong idea...but it is true that in big city's it's alittle hard to trust...but hey...there is a difference...i think
oladulce - 6-19-2006 at 10:07 AM
My husband noticed that when Mexicans enter a restaurant, office etc, they will greet the people around them. I had never picked up on this, but now
look for it and find it intriguing. We spent 3 hours waiting in a Notario's office a couple of days ago, and became very friendly with the other
waiting clients by the time we were finished.
I had noticed at work that after long waits in the ER, often times spanish speaking patients and visitors would know something about other spanish
speaking patients or visitors who were there. I used to think that it was the language commonality, but now i think there's a cultural component too.
Natalie Ann - 6-19-2006 at 10:37 AM
Berkeley is very small town for a city. The population varies by race more than anywhere I've ever lived. People speak to each other on the street
regularly looking one another in the eye and smiling. Folks offer to help strangers. Patients talk to each other in the doctor's office, and I
wouldn't dream of entering a restaurant or business without acknowledging the staff and other patrons. This is how I was raised in Cornfield
Illinois, and I found things much the same in Berkeley.
There are so many languages one hears everyday here, Paula. Mostly I'm walking in my neighborhood and am saying hello in Spanish or
one of the Middle Eastern dialects (and yes, I'm probably butchering the latter - but it always gets a smile). My default greeting is the "uenas"
which Oso mentioned. Leaving the 'hood one eventually hears smatterings of language from many countries throughout the world. When I meet people who
speak these languages, I often ask them to teach me how to say "hello" along with a few simple pleasantries. Generally I'm able to remember the
"hello" part, and then I practice saying it. Pretty simple.