"Hello" vs "How are you~"
2011 - I'm a graduate
, a soon-to-be working adult with
money worries, loans, debts, rent and who knows what else that comes with the package.
This is the life I return to in Malaysia. (｀・ω・´)
Oh Adelaide, you were sweet to me and I miss you so
, but the happy, carefree and
four-season days are over and I'm back together with K.L - the sticky heat
, sucky
public transportation, mass malls and of course, beloved family, friends and food. The 3Fs.
Us brainwashed transformed individuals have lots to compare with since our return ヽ( )｀ε´( )ノ. Such as? Well, I've mentioned some of them already. What I have realized instead is a cultural note.
The "HELLO" vs "How are you~?"
For non-Malaysians, maybe you don't get what I'm talking but here I am, eyeing those of you with that blue card and the red passport. Or...well, if you have been to this country which I now re-reside, you might have an idea of what I'm talking about.
"Hello" in the general sense of the English dictionary's world is basically a greeting. (*゜▽゜ノノ゛☆
e.g. Miss Popular is on her way home with her groceries when she bumps into Mr Shy. Being her friendly self, she greets him with her loud and cheerful voice, " Hello, Mr. Shy!"
Not the best example of a sentence but you get the picture.
"HELLO" in the Malaysian context - well, yes, it's still a greeting but it's also used to capture attention. ヽ(*'0'*)ﾂ
e.g. Mr. Hungry is, well, obviously hungry
and is well on his way to losing his temper at the pace the restaurant staff is serving its customers. His nasi lemak seem to be taking forever to be delivered to his table. And then finally, the plate of the delicacy plunks itself roughly in frontof him and his face lights up. Until he realized something else. No cutlery. He waves his hand to a nearby mamak man, "Hello, Hello! Oyyy~~~"
Still not a great sentence example.
Aussies on the other hand, says "How are you~" naturally without really needing you to reply it. It's not so much as it's a question
as it's a greeting. In the beginning I'd fumble around, wondering to reply and then give a quick mumble of a "I'm fine, thank you."
A friend of mine retold her friend's anecdote of how the first time he heard it and Mr.Howareyou was a say-and-run, the friend wanted to run
after the guy telling him how his whole day went.
Cut the story short, I actually find "Hello" a little too...unfriendly just to catch the mamak guy or whosever's attention.
Now, what was the point of this again?
Lovesmiles,
レイラ
