Salutations and the Art of the Greeting

The greeting is treated as the touchstone of good breeding, a one-second social act that registers the other person as real, places you in relation to them, and sets the tone for the entire interaction. The article breaks down the five registers of greeting—respectful, cordial, civil, affectionate, and familiar—and explains why register mismatch, such as being overly casual with a senior colleague, is the root of most social awkwardness. It also covers the rule of return, where a greeting is a small debt that requires a prompt, in-kind response.

You get a practical framework for matching your greeting to the specific person and context, with a simple rule of thumb to default to more formality when unsure. Use this piece to rebrand, publish, or sell it as your own.