Curious customs: Unique ways people greet each other
We all greet our friends and family, acquaintances and even strangers when we meet them. But do we ever wonder what the greetings actually imply? A greeting is not just a hello or a handshake, it is often more than that and people from different cultures greet differently. In fact, the very world hello is said in very many ways in different cultures. What is ‘hello’ in English is ‘hola’ in Spanish or ‘bonjour’ in French.
What is a greeting?
A greeting is a conventional phrase or word often used to initiate a dialogue or acknowledge a person’s arrival or presence. It’s not just a social norm or etiquette but a conversation starter. While Westerners prefer short and quick greetings, people in the east believe in long exchanges. Let us now look at different types of greetings from all across the world.
Bowing
Prevalent widely in India, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, bowing is more of a gesture than a greeting. But there’s a certain way one needs to bow, otherwise it is often ridiculed. The ideal way to bow is to join your palms together in a prayer position at the level just below your face, and then bend slightly as a sign of deference. In India, bowing is often accompanied by the Sanskrit phrase Namaste to offer respect or gratitude, while in Thailand, bowing is referred to as ‘wai’ and the higher you place your hands, the more reverence you are showing.
Clapping of Hands
In the African nations Zimbabwe and Mozambique, people greet each other by applauding. When a person claps once, it is customary for the other person to clap twice, to return the greeting.
Air kisses on the cheek
Air kisses on the cheeks are widely prevalent across Europe and South America. While one air kiss is the standard for countries like Argentina and Brazil, it’s two in places like Spain, France and Italy and even three in Russia and Ukraine. Some places in France even have recorded four air-kisses on certain occasions.
Tapping noses
In the Middle-East, this norm is a friendly way to greet potential clients and colleagues. Gentle tapping of the noses is seen widely across Oman, Yemen, Qatar and UAE.
Touching of the heart
This custom, exclusive to Malaysians, has a beautiful sentiment behind it. One person holds the other person’s hands lightly and releases it. The other person then brings his own hand to the chest and nods a little to symbolize goodwill and solidarity. It is considered polite to return the greeting.
The good old handshake
Shaking of the hands is always a warm gesture. However, handshakes around the world differ from one another. The Chinese prefer a subtle handshake with a loose grip, whereas, Germans prefer one quick and firm shake. In the middle eastern nations, using one’s right hand is customary as they consider the left one to be unclean.