21+ English Greetings for Every Day: Greet in Styles
English greetings have always been very famous given the fact that this particular language is a lingua franca and it is used in the whole world. Cultural diversity can be found in different countries but the greetings can surely make things quite better for people who engage in a particular type of conversation. English greetings are definitely going to be helpful for all those students who want to understand how greetings take place in the English language especially when they do it in different situations.
Greetings not only show social cohesion but they also convey communication finesse and they help in making the communication stronger as words used in greetings can really be a great initiator to go through any type of discussion on a particular topic. In this particular article, we will be going through different types of greetings used in the English language in different situations and how they can play a very vital role for students to learn them and use them whenever they think that they are fed up with using the same type of greeting every time.
Main benefits of English greetings
Although greetings are great when it comes to using them at the start of a conversation, there are a number of benefits that can be found with greetings. Below, you can find 5 main benefits of greetings in English and how they are great when it comes to intercultural communication.
- Greetings give cultural expression
That’s the first thing that we always get when it comes to cultural expression because greetings reflect trends and social dynamics that can come out of greetings and how they express a unique way for some individuals to express themselves as per their regions.
- Communication efficiency through greetings
Whenever you use a particular type of greeting, you are definitely going to enhance your communication. It will help you to communicate effectively on a particular topic and you will also be able to connect with your audience in a better way.
- Helpful in globalization
Today is the world of globalization and different types of businesses and relationships are established on a day-to-day basis among different countries. Greetings are going to be so helpful that they can be a great way of expressing the belongingness of an individual from a particular place. Greetings play an important role in terms of sharing the knowledge of a country with another and that is a great way of engaging in globalization.
- Social inclusion
Since greetings have different forms such as formal, informal and slang, they can surely help in fostering a profound sense of inclusion as they help in building camaraderie among people. Peers can find themselves in a comfortable situation when it comes to engaging in discussion on a particular topic.
- Language adaptability
Ever changing nature of linguistic expressions is something that can help an individual stay relevant every time. Greetings are also going to show that language keeps on adapting to the situation and how they are used at different times. Language adaptability is showcased very well when a particular type of greeting is used and here it is true in the context of the English language.
Formal greetings
As far as formal greetings are concerned, they are used basically in professional or formal settings to convey professionalism, respect along with politeness. There are some characteristics associated with formal greetings and they have been mentioned as follows:
- Politeness and respect
Formal greetings always prioritize politeness and respect and they convey honour for an individual. There are some titles used with formal greetings and they are Mr., Ms., Dr., etc.
- Professional language
Greetings related to professional language come under formal greetings and these greetings convey structured language which is not casual and the tone of formal greetings always avoids colloquial expressions and remains professional for all time.
Below is a list of some famous formal greetings that can be found in the English language:
- Good morning.
- Good afternoon.
- Hello, how are you?
- How do you do?
- It’s nice to meet you today.
- Greetings.
- Salutations.
- It’s always a pleasure to see you here.
Informal Greetings
As far as informal greetings are concerned, they are those expressions which can be used in personal settings or in a casual way. These types of expressions basically establish a relaxed and friendly tone. There are different types of characteristics of informal greetings and they have been mentioned as follows:
- Usage of casual language
There is usage of casual and familiar language in casual greetings and they can include abbreviations along with playful expressions to create a friendly atmosphere in a particular situation.
- Personal connection
The focus of the informal greetings is always to reflect a personal connection among the individuals. Because of the informal greetings, the topics which are related to personal connection can go on among the individuals and they can be related to their experiences, events and joke-related discussions.
- First name basis
Formal greetings are always with respect and politeness whereas informal greetings do not care about the titles and formal addresses but they normally go through the first name of an individual. The purpose of informal greetings is to give a sense of familiarity and closeness among the individuals. Let’s learn some of the informal greetings that can be widely used:
- Hi there!
- Hey!
- What’s up?
- Howdy!
- How’s it going?
- What’s happening?
- Long time no see.
- What’s up, bro?
Slang greetings
When it comes to slang greetings, they are more informal and they often give unconventional expressions which are able to reflect different types of language streams used at present. Slang greetings are used with some specific social groups. There are some characteristics of slang greetings and they have been mentioned as follows:
- More informal language
When it comes to the formality of slang expressions, they are more informal in nature and they are also non-standard language forms. There can be some colloquialisms along with unique phrases used in slang terms.
- Cultural and social context-oriented
Many slang times are also cultural and social context-oriented because they may refer to some trends and meanings as per a particular region. Some can be related to certain communities and age groups and may not be appropriate everywhere.
- Playful expressions
Playful expressions are very common slang and they are mostly used among friends. It is important for the users to take care of the formality level of the slang as they cannot be used especially in formal and professional situations. Playful expressions can also incorporate humour and they are basically used among company colleagues and close champs.
Below is a list of some common slang terms which can be used in the English language:
- Sup?
- Wassup?
- How’s the tricks?
- What’s cracking?
- How’s the scoop?
Conclusion
Whether it is formal greetings, informal greetings or slang greetings, they are all going to be crucial parts of English expressions and they must be learnt in as better way as possible. You as a student must try to use these expressions to make your English much better but you need to be careful of the situation where you are going to use these greetings. These greetings are certainly going to enhance your English and you will be able to feel more confident once you start using them as often as possible. Practice these English greetings to make them more perfect and you will be able to feel that your English is improving in a better way now.
Also read- 8 Ways English can help in professional life
I’m Mohammad Zahid Hussain, a Content Writer, Spoken English, IELTS and PTE Trainer. I’m also a Professional English-Hindi and Hindi-English Translator, Editor and Proofreader. I’m a graduate from Jamia Millia Islamia University, and I’m here to share my articles on a wide range of topics to help you enhance your insights into various things to provide you with factual information and creative analysis.
