Anyone have any problems saying ''hello''?

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Joe90
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01 Mar 2011, 12:57 pm

I don't mean not knowing when to say hello, I mean not knowing how to say hello. I am fine with saying hello when I get to work, or when I see people I know in the street or in shops, ect. But when people come to my house I never know which tone of voice to say hello in. I seem to just say it blankly, or in a half-arsed way, or even an embarrassed way. I don't know why I only feel like this in my home. Does anyone else have issues knowing how to say hello or hi or whatever to people? I've started to say, ''you all right?'', and that has made me feel more better. Sometimes I like to change my words.

Does anyone else feel the same? I'd like to hear how others greet people.


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Mar1976
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01 Mar 2011, 1:21 pm

I generally find the inital greeting of people very difficult in any setting.
I find it somewhat easier in circumstances where I know conversation isn't going to develop at all after the "Hello"; i.e. the "Hello" is the beginning and the end of the interaction, (does that make sense?!)

What is it about your home that causes that effect?
Is it because you are expected to 'entertain' further than the greeting? Or because you're in your own 'comfort zone' and someone is 'invading'? Or just because you don't know what to do next (after the "hello")?

I'm not much help!



eddie82
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01 Mar 2011, 1:30 pm

I have a hard time saying any of the following: Hello, Hi, or Hey

I feel like I have to force it out, as if the word is stuck in my throat. When I do say it, I sound like an idiot because I don't say it in my normal voice. My usual response to a greeting is to just smile awkwardly.


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Tyrant-Dragon
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01 Mar 2011, 1:35 pm

I feel very awkward and stupid saying hello. I always worry that I'll say it wrong and my voice will sound funny. Maybe it's just me imagining it, but often i get so worried that I just don't even bother saying hi to people. :oops:



Shadwell
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01 Mar 2011, 3:22 pm

I have trouble saying goodbye more, so much so that I'd rather slip out the backdoor without a trace.



anbuend
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01 Mar 2011, 3:29 pm

I have trouble responding when people say hello to me, and am always afraid they'll think I'm stuck up.


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eddie82
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01 Mar 2011, 3:31 pm

Shadwell wrote:
I have trouble saying goodbye more, so much so that I'd rather slip out the backdoor without a trace.


I was bad for this at work. I would just vanish, leaving my coworkers to text me asking me where the hell I rushed off to.


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monsterland
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01 Mar 2011, 6:39 pm

I suck at both greetings and departures.

I also have trouble sensing when I should leave.



ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
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01 Mar 2011, 6:53 pm

I say hi.



mikeseagle
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01 Mar 2011, 7:11 pm

Joe90 wrote:
Does anyone else feel the same? I'd like to hear how others greet people.


Its hard for me also. I try to do some variations like:

"Nice to see you"
"Welcome to my home"
"Its good to see you again"
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"What a pleasant surprise to see you" <- Kind of ironic to say that when someone shows up at my door unannounced

Then there is the Aussie varient of hello "Good day" or as they say it "G'Day"

Then if its a door to door salesman:
"What the fu** do you want?" as my dog growls and barks at them through the screen door :P


Just a few off the top of my head :)


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SeizeTheDay
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01 Mar 2011, 7:52 pm

I say "how are you?" and I say it so many times a day at work. And as soon as I say it, I block out the person I'm talking to. It's way to colloquial anymore.


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draelynn
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01 Mar 2011, 8:14 pm

I echo. I'll do whatever they do. If they smile at me as they walk up to the door, I smile. If they say 'hi' or 'hey', I just repeat it with almost the same tone of voice. If they go for the air kiss (...GAH... *twitch*) I just smile and get it over with. I've found that matching someone else's tone of voice (not the sound of their voice but the level of interest or excitement) does a fairly good job of appearing as empathy.



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02 Mar 2011, 4:17 am

Shadwell wrote:
I have trouble saying goodbye more, so much so that I'd rather slip out the backdoor without a trace.


Same here, I have trouble saying "hello", but when it comes to saying "goodbye" I'm find myself practically incapable of saying anything, I'm normally just slip out the nearest door.



Yensid
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02 Mar 2011, 6:48 am

I just nod at them and pretend to make eye contact. If they say anything I return their greeting.


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League_Girl
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02 Mar 2011, 11:55 am

"Hello"

Nope, I do not. :wink:

No I still don't have issues with it. I say hi to people. I also say "hey" when someone is at my door.



billypony
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02 Mar 2011, 6:38 pm

yes. at the stables saying hi to everyone as they arrive, or as you arrive, is the "done thing". i can never be the one to say hi first, and i can only comfortabley say hi to the people i know well. i hate it when someone shouts it across the yard because i dont like to shout back, so i often pretend i didn't hear. they must think i'm very rude. i especially hate it though, when people are walking past, and they say "hi you alright?" because now i have around 2 seconds to think of a suitable reply and say it. this is tricky. do i say "hi" or "yes i'm fine" or "i'm fine thankyou how are you?" sometimes they walk past too quick and i end up not saying anything, and i feel bad. why are they even asking me? they're not really interested how i am and they know they're not gonna be around for the answer even if i gave it them (as they would have already walked past already). why is saying hello so complicated? :(