Shaking hands, hugging or kissing? in Etiquette Forum

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Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?

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Cheri	Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?		Lead	[-]
Super Member Posts: 573 30/10/06 7:42 PM	Tags : greetings, etiquette, shaking hands, hugging, kissing Remove this ad In London I have seen people hugging or kissing when they meet. Is this usual? I am taught that English are reserved and like personal space. Last Edited By: Lynne Hand 18/02/09 12:25 PM. Edited 2 times.
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#1	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 31/10/06 6:08 PM Your Teacher	Hi Cheri, Yes, the reserved, bowler hatted English gentleman is dead. Long live the kissy, huggy English bloke. Actually you do have to be careful here. Some people have no compunction about invading your personal space, others still prefer a handshake. My advice is, if you are comfortable with the idea, take the lead from the other person. But, if you don't want a hug, then stick your hand out quickly, before they get too close. Interestingly, the further up north you go, the less likely you are to see this kind of lovey dovey behaviour. Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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Elfish and chips	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#2	[url]	[-]
Moderator Super Member Posts: 3278 12/11/06 2:16 PM Moderator	Hugging is definitely my favourite greeting. ER..it depends who hugs me however. (\_/) ( '.' ) (")-(")
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#3	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 12/11/06 4:45 PM Your Teacher	So you won't be going out with a plaque offering free hugs then? Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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Elfish and chips	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#4	[url]	[-]
Moderator Super Member Posts: 3278 12/11/06 8:14 PM Moderator	I find the idea great but I am afraid some people would pervert it and ask for something else. Do I need to say more? Unfortunetely we're not living in a gummy world. But I wish... (\_/) ( '.' ) (")-(")
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michelle388hou	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#5	[url]	[-]
Super Member Old Timer Posts: 900 13/12/06 6:58 PM Super Member	I see where you're going, Elfish. I found it weird that people don't actually give a kiss or something like that in Canada---so different from what I'd heard of and imagined in China. So I consider handshaking is the most common way for greeting whomever you meet. What do you think?
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#6	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 14/12/06 6:52 PM Your Teacher	When you are greeting someone for the first time it's fine, but it is a distancer - it keeps people away from you and so eventually it's no longer appropriate - apart from in Germany, where they shake hands at every opportunity. Actually it's a known fact that shaking hands spreads more germs than kissing. Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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autonoetic	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#7	[url]	[-]
Old Timer Posts: 525 19/03/07 7:29 PM Moderator	I agree with Michelle. Handshaking is the most common way for greeting in Western culture. Maybe, it's a distancer. I think, the distance is not too far, it's quite right. I don't like this hugging and kissing as standard greeting-procedure. It should be reserved to special persons (e.g. friends, family). My friend told me an interesting story about handshaking. In former times, it was more than germ spreading. It was the signal that somebody was unarmed.
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#8	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 20/03/07 12:28 PM Your Teacher	Yes. And that's exactly why at some point or other the hand shaking has to stop. The most shocking thing I ever saw was a German friend shaking hands with his own father. Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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autonoetic	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#9	[url]	[-]
Old Timer Posts: 525 20/03/07 5:27 PM Moderator	Indeed, that's hard. But, do you know anything about their past relationship? Maybe, they usually were armed.
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#10	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 21/03/07 10:46 AM Your Teacher	Remove this ad Good point, but I wouldn't dare ask. LOL Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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Mateus Tavares	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 70 14/05/07 3:25 PM Super Member	In Brazil, it's common
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#12	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 14/05/07 3:40 PM Your Teacher	Which? Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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Mateus Tavares	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#13	[url]	[-]
Posts: 70 14/05/07 9:32 PM Super Member	Hi Lynne In Brazil, shaking hands is most common although, a lot of people like hugging or kissing.I mean, if you come to Brazil get ready to be touched.
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#14	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 15/05/07 9:12 AM Your Teacher	Ooh! I'll have to wear a sign. "I'm British!" Actually I am a member of the Free Hugs campaign. So, I guess I'll be fine as long as no one gooses me or pinches my bum. That I won't stand for. Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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deementzee	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#15	[url]	[-]
Posts: 656 15/05/07 9:36 PM	"Gooses"? What is the Free Hugs campiagn? ~ana may Time, the dark whale, spouts blithely from his spiracle a jet of memory that makes glad the sun. ~William Rose Benet
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Lynne Hand	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#16	[url]	[-]
Super Member Posts: 38321 16/05/07 12:45 PM Your Teacher	To goose means to pinch the buttocks. But I always say that for every action there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction. The free hugs campaign is here. www.freehugscampaign.org/ Unfortunately like most nice ideas it has run into legal problems. Some people don't like the idea. Your Teacher - The Learn English Network
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Mateus Tavares	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#17	[url]	[-]
Posts: 70 16/05/07 8:53 PM Super Member	Don't you worry about it! We like hugs and kisses but we think the respect is the most important thing.So I'll be fine.I never heard about of the Free Hugs campaign. Sounds great! Bye
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deementzee	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#18	[url]	[-]
Posts: 656 17/05/07 2:36 AM	That's a really great campaign Lynne!! ~ana may Time, the dark whale, spouts blithely from his spiracle a jet of memory that makes glad the sun. ~William Rose Benet
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Rosalind	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#19	[url]	[-]
Posts: 11 20/06/07 4:07 PM	Hi, I thought that I'd give you my imput on this subject, as from what I've gathered you are all from the continent (?). I'm english, and live in the south of england near london. The people you saw hugging in london were most likely to be good friends already, and in this instance a hand shake would me too formal. When you dont know someone, you either just nod your head acknowledging them, or you shake their hand. Even with friends its down to the individuals involved. I wouldn't dream of hugging some of my friends, because it would be uncomfortable even though I know them quite well. I have about 5 frinds at most whom I hug. One of my friends doesn't like hugging, or any kind of physical contact really. With some people, like with your best friends, it is the norm, or a given, that you hug on meeting; whereas with others you might ask for a hug or visa versa. You only kiss if you are involved with someone. You don't, apart from in some select groups, kiss friends. I don't even kiss my parents. Therefore, if you are introduced to someone, it is polite to shake their hand for a second or two. Generally, people don't kiss as a form of greeting, and a hug is reserved for those who you are good friends with and have known for a while. However, the best advise would be to follow the lead of the person whom you are greeting, and it is considered rude or impolite to refuse a handshake/hug/kiss. Hope that helps, Rosalind
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naveen dhanerwal	Re: Shaking hands, hugging or kissing?	#20	[url]	[-]
Moderator Super Member Posts: 842 21/06/07 5:27 AM Super Member	Remove this ad Hello friends, Everything depends on place and culture. Here in India, it's not accpetable to hug and kiss yet, but handshaking is common. I'm not agreed with Rosalind here; if somebody (especially women) is not comfortable with hug and kiss, then it won't be better to do so. It's better to behave according to the place where you live or visit. You are English, hence you don't know about India and its culture so much. It might possible here to hug and kiss with very close friends but not at public place.
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