Namaste? Or not?

icetea · Apr 30th, 2007, 10:31

I thought the Sikh greeting was "Sat sri akal".
And in Tamil Nadu people tend to use Vanakkam instead of Namaskar.

But for a beginner it's just too confusing to differentiate people based on their religion, so I think a respectful "hello" is the best option.

cyberhippie · Apr 30th, 2007, 10:42

Dave Alan was his name!!

Familyonthemove · Apr 30th, 2007, 10:52

Just had a look at the customer feedback from the 140 stores we've opened in several States from North to South. Nobody has complained about the use of Namaste for religious/cultural reasons, but several customers have said they find it irritating if more than one member of staff greets them with a Namaste.

One customer did say "stop Namaste-ing and get some ****** stock on the shelves" but that was a different problem!

But our new advice to store staff is to use the appropriate local greeting (Namaste, Namaskara, Vannakam) only at the store entrance, then just be natural and friendly in the rest of the store.

BTW - I can't use 'Vannakam' without sniggering like a school boy.

I think it's Tamil? ... and is pronounced by the locals as 'wannacum' .... which sounds more like an Australian chat-up line

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Familyonthemove

BTW - I can't use 'Vannakam' without sniggering like a school boy.

I think it's Tamil? ... and is pronounced by the locals as 'wannacum' .... which sounds more like an Australian chat-up line

I'd be going - "OK where? Can we all come?" Thanks for the warning...

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 10:59

Cyberhippie - Dave Allen - are we showing our age here????

Shark · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:13

Please don't suggest I say G'day, I've never met an Australian who says it!

G'day Kristin,
You've never met an Australian who says G'day? Where do you live in a tree house? Maybe you would prefer Yo Bro or love your work or the one that really pisses me off mate is "it's all good".

I'm proud of our Australian English and its laid back form and its capacity to instantly establish rapport by just calling someone mate - male or female. I'm not giving you a hard time but don't be too precious.

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:23

Truly - I never ever hear it except when people are taking the piss out of us - or in the "G'Day you old Bastard" example I mentioned before - my Brother in Law from Moree uses that all the time and his 4YO daughter distinguished herself by answering the phone for about 3 months and shrieking it down the phone to whoever was on the other end!

Cross my heart - amongst all my bush relatives and all my city friends no-one says G'Day... and I never hear it around the place. I do hear 'Hi Howyagoin?' a lot and am guilty of that one too...

How about the recent use of 'Hey' instead of 'Hi' I'm noticing that a LOT?

I also hate "It's all good" especially after that beer advertisement

Nick-H · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:38

Vannakam --- it is closer to the V sound, so don't worry

Oh, andin really formal situations such as with Immigration officials, police, judges etc, it is best to stick to How's it hanging?

.

Thoughtcrimes · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:38

My younger Indian friends (late teens and 20's) consider the term passe, something from their parents generation. I suppose it matters who you are speaking to...

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thoughtcrimes

My younger Indian friends (late teens and 20's) consider the term passe, something from their parents generation. I suppose it matters who you are speaking to...

So I guess they're all 'yo bro' and 'watcha'?

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Oh, andin really formal situations such as with Immigration officials, police, judges etc, it is best to stick to How's it hanging?

.

From what I've heard about Indian men this might be an unwise question??? OR maybe it might just get what I want done, done quickly....

I could say goodbye with a good Aussie expression that is one of my favourites "See you when the mud dries" That would really confuse them!

Thoughtcrimes · Apr 30th, 2007, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristinm

So I guess they're all 'yo bro' and 'watcha'?

Precisely. ANd if writing, the more slang and incorrect spellings the better! SOmetimes these spellings get annoying though if you're trying to read something fast....

machadinha · Apr 30th, 2007, 12:12

It annoys the hell out of us here even when reading slowly... What ever happened to full stops. Are you talking kids in Florida or India btw?

kristinm · Apr 30th, 2007, 12:44

Don't get me started - and what about when your kids write as if they're texting? Do Indian teens do that... B4 and Cya and so on???

As a mature age postgraduate student I am starting to see a complete lack of knowledge of grammar and spelling manifest itself in younger students - and even in the 27ish phd student currently taking one of my seminars!!!! She even had the hide to state that she was going to mark on grammar and expression before putting up a whole lot of projections with every apostrophe in the wrong place!!!

Wait until I fill out my feedback form!!

Mind you - I find when posting in forums and emailing, while flicking between work and so on I can type some howlers myself! But I see posting in forums like this more as conversation than writing...

BTW - where in the world is yorp??? (sorry can't find the umlau thing!) Iceland? Finland? I am told by Finnish friends that the reason we find them stand-offish and cold initially is because Finnish has no 'small talk' or words for please or thankyou...

machadinha · May 1st, 2007, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristinm

and what about when your kids write as if they're texting? Do Indian teens do that... B4 and Cya and so on???

Judging by this board, they do...

Quote:

BTW - where in the world is yorp???

It's a continent spelled in a silly way. *poof!* Mystery gone

Apr 30th, 2007, 11:38	#38
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,770	Vannakam --- it is closer to the V sound, so don't worry Oh, andin really formal situations such as with Immigration officials, police, judges etc, it is best to stick to How's it hanging? . __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 30th, 2007, 11:38	#39
Thoughtcrimes Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boston, MA. Posts: 55	Namaste My younger Indian friends (late teens and 20's) consider the term passe, something from their parents generation. I suppose it matters who you are speaking to... __________________ "I hate know-it-alls. Nobody even knows ten percent of it all." - Thomas Sowell

Apr 30th, 2007, 12:12	#43
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,118	It annoys the hell out of us here even when reading slowly... What ever happened to full stops. Are you talking kids in Florida or India btw? __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Hello/Namaste!	NirmalaMaya	Introduce Yourself	24	Feb 25th, 2007 20:22
Namaste all!	fredjican	Introduce Yourself	6	Jul 29th, 2005 15:48
namaste!	kimalaya	Introduce Yourself	9	Jul 7th, 2005 03:48
Namaste!	jyoti	Introduce Yourself	12	May 6th, 2005 22:03
Namaste - THEN what do I say....?	Emmar01	Chai and Chat	13	Jul 28th, 2003 23:50

Apr 30th, 2007, 10:31	#31
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	I thought the Sikh greeting was "Sat sri akal". And in Tamil Nadu people tend to use Vanakkam instead of Namaskar. But for a beginner it's just too confusing to differentiate people based on their religion, so I think a respectful "hello" is the best option.

Apr 30th, 2007, 10:42	#32
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,013	Dave Alan was his name!!

Apr 30th, 2007, 10:52	#33
Familyonthemove Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 274	Just had a look at the customer feedback from the 140 stores we've opened in several States from North to South. Nobody has complained about the use of Namaste for religious/cultural reasons, but several customers have said they find it irritating if more than one member of staff greets them with a Namaste. One customer did say "stop Namaste-ing and get some ****** stock on the shelves" but that was a different problem! But our new advice to store staff is to use the appropriate local greeting (Namaste, Namaskara, Vannakam) only at the store entrance, then just be natural and friendly in the rest of the store. BTW - I can't use 'Vannakam' without sniggering like a school boy. I think it's Tamil? ... and is pronounced by the locals as 'wannacum' .... which sounds more like an Australian chat-up line

Apr 30th, 2007, 10:59	#35
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,406	Cyberhippie - Dave Allen - are we showing our age here????

Apr 30th, 2007, 11:13	#36
Shark Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia, New South Wales Posts: 158	Please don't suggest I say G'day, I've never met an Australian who says it! G'day Kristin, You've never met an Australian who says G'day? Where do you live in a tree house? Maybe you would prefer Yo Bro or love your work or the one that really pisses me off mate is "it's all good". I'm proud of our Australian English and its laid back form and its capacity to instantly establish rapport by just calling someone mate - male or female. I'm not giving you a hard time but don't be too precious.

Apr 30th, 2007, 11:23	#37
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,406	Truly - I never ever hear it except when people are taking the piss out of us - or in the "G'Day you old Bastard" example I mentioned before - my Brother in Law from Moree uses that all the time and his 4YO daughter distinguished herself by answering the phone for about 3 months and shrieking it down the phone to whoever was on the other end! Cross my heart - amongst all my bush relatives and all my city friends no-one says G'Day... and I never hear it around the place. I do hear 'Hi Howyagoin?' a lot and am guilty of that one too... How about the recent use of 'Hey' instead of 'Hi' I'm noticing that a LOT? I also hate "It's all good" especially after that beer advertisement

Apr 30th, 2007, 12:44	#44
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,406	Don't get me started - and what about when your kids write as if they're texting? Do Indian teens do that... B4 and Cya and so on??? As a mature age postgraduate student I am starting to see a complete lack of knowledge of grammar and spelling manifest itself in younger students - and even in the 27ish phd student currently taking one of my seminars!!!! She even had the hide to state that she was going to mark on grammar and expression before putting up a whole lot of projections with every apostrophe in the wrong place!!! Wait until I fill out my feedback form!! Mind you - I find when posting in forums and emailing, while flicking between work and so on I can type some howlers myself! But I see posting in forums like this more as conversation than writing... BTW - where in the world is yorp??? (sorry can't find the umlau thing!) Iceland? Finland? I am told by Finnish friends that the reason we find them stand-offish and cold initially is because Finnish has no 'small talk' or words for please or thankyou...

User Name		Remember Me?
Password