How do you greet people when you meet them in the street, a pub or your place of work?
I’d guess most of us say “Hello” or “Alright? – although that greeting may be used mainly in south Wales.
There’s also a rather crude greeting which I remember from my youth, involving one male person casually asking another male person, “How’s it . . . ?”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Dear reader. I was tempted to cut that line, for all our sakes!).
I’m not keen on using “Hi!” as a greeting, because (and I realise it’s my problem and nobody else’s) when I hear “Hi!” it reminds me of those Cliff Richard & The Shadows movies of the early 60s, like Summer Holiday.
There’s always a scene in which Cliff says to Hank Marvin’s musical combo, “Hi, fellahs! Why don’t we try that number right now?”
“Hi!” is running neck and neck with “Hello!” these days, probably due to the fact a lot of people start their emails with it.
Well, it’d be pointless finishing an email with it!
Even so, I much prefer “Hi!” to the greeting that gets used increasingly in modern British TV dramas – the very American and very annoying “Hey!”
If you’re wondering what I’m going on about (“Nothing new there, Phil!”) take, as an example, the most recent series of “Unforgotten” on ITV One.
As well-made as it was, over six episodes, everyone upon meeting a friend or relation, said “Hey!” – never “Hello!” or “How are you?”
When one detective wandered into another detective’s workspace or office, they didn’t say “Can I have a minute?” or “Are you busy?” like normal people would.
They gave a sort of half-nod and said “Hey!” and the other person would return the semi-nod and say “Hey!” in return.
I found it so irritating and so unlikely that British people would behave like that, it detracted from the drama.
Unless we’ve suddenly become America’s 51st State and not everyone got the memo, including me, I’m sticking with “Hello!” and refuse to become a member of the “Hey!” team!