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Re: OT: The greetings problem (Re: Never violate a universal unless it seems like a good idea at the time)

From:John Cowan <cowan@...>
Date:Friday, September 5, 2003, 20:29
Joe scripsit:

> I would suggest that, as it has no connotations to the majority of > people(That is, non-americans, and those reaching adulthood after the draft > ended), that you should not be worried about using it.
Absolutely. I only included that anecdote for the fun of it: the important point is that "Greetings" is used only at the beginning of letters (or when you meet someone), never at the end (or when you part from someone). A similar oddity is that "Good night" can only be used at parting; at meeting, one must say "Good evening" no matter how late it is. Consequently, the English lyrics to the Brahms Lullaby begin "Lullaby and good night" ("lullaby" is a word of imitative origin meaning a sleeping song sung by a mother to a baby); "good evening and good night" would sound like meeting and parting in immediate succession. -- All Norstrilians knew what laughter was: John Cowan it was "pleasurable corrigible malfunction". http://www.reutershealth.com --Cordwainer Smith, _Norstrilia_ jcowan@reutershealth.com

Replies

Andreas Johansson <andjo@...>
Peter Bleackley <peter.bleackley@...>