greeting ritual expectations
Ethiopians appreciate warm greetings, handshakes, positive body language (smile or showing a sign of happiness) and a show of respect. Greeting people is an important and somewhat lengthy ritual (1).
The most important, and universal aspect of the Ethiopian greeting is an initial inquiry of the health of one's counterpart. This inquiry is made whether the person is family, friend, or stranger, and is not dependent on relative social status. This question is very much equivalent to the English greeting "How are you?" and the appropriate answer also falls in line with English. One will reply, "Thanks be to God, I am well. How are you?" whether one is well or not. It is indiscreet to give an actual account of one's health (2).
For passing greetings this is enough, however if one is going to engage in further interaction with one's counterpart, much more is necessary. Before speaking both individuals will bow to each other. Once the bow has been finished and the first inquiries made, about one to two minutes of further formalized exchange is required. Each individual is expected not only to ask after the health of each other, but also after their family members, animals, harvest, business, and any elements of each other's personal life with which they might be familiar. All answers are always prefaced with "thanks be to God," and they are always positive; any bad news must be saved for later in the conversation (2).
The question "Where are you from?" can be interpreted in a negative way and it is advisable to avoid such a question. This line of questioning can be interpreted as what is your ethnicity and there are very many people who consider this line of questioning as divisive. There are clear distinctions between urban vs rural; rich vs poor; highland populations vs and lowland populations; people who depend on agriculture as a way of life vs people who live a more urban existence. Most of the time a topic for discussion will depend on the age and gender of the person and the popular topic in the city or the country. For example, if you happen to be in Addis Ababa when the World Cup is in progress, you can chat with anyone about it, men and women, young and old (1).
There are political overtones to most aspects of life in Ethiopia and politics is a common subject of discussion. However, one should be very careful as opinions can be very strong and there are risks involved in talking in public about ones political views. As a general rule, be a good listener.
Westerners tend to be more inquisitive than Ethiopian and sometimes their questions are not appreciated and can induce feelings of suspicion. One has to carefully watch body language to know how the other is feeling (1).
The most important, and universal aspect of the Ethiopian greeting is an initial inquiry of the health of one's counterpart. This inquiry is made whether the person is family, friend, or stranger, and is not dependent on relative social status. This question is very much equivalent to the English greeting "How are you?" and the appropriate answer also falls in line with English. One will reply, "Thanks be to God, I am well. How are you?" whether one is well or not. It is indiscreet to give an actual account of one's health (2).
For passing greetings this is enough, however if one is going to engage in further interaction with one's counterpart, much more is necessary. Before speaking both individuals will bow to each other. Once the bow has been finished and the first inquiries made, about one to two minutes of further formalized exchange is required. Each individual is expected not only to ask after the health of each other, but also after their family members, animals, harvest, business, and any elements of each other's personal life with which they might be familiar. All answers are always prefaced with "thanks be to God," and they are always positive; any bad news must be saved for later in the conversation (2).
The question "Where are you from?" can be interpreted in a negative way and it is advisable to avoid such a question. This line of questioning can be interpreted as what is your ethnicity and there are very many people who consider this line of questioning as divisive. There are clear distinctions between urban vs rural; rich vs poor; highland populations vs and lowland populations; people who depend on agriculture as a way of life vs people who live a more urban existence. Most of the time a topic for discussion will depend on the age and gender of the person and the popular topic in the city or the country. For example, if you happen to be in Addis Ababa when the World Cup is in progress, you can chat with anyone about it, men and women, young and old (1).
There are political overtones to most aspects of life in Ethiopia and politics is a common subject of discussion. However, one should be very careful as opinions can be very strong and there are risks involved in talking in public about ones political views. As a general rule, be a good listener.
Westerners tend to be more inquisitive than Ethiopian and sometimes their questions are not appreciated and can induce feelings of suspicion. One has to carefully watch body language to know how the other is feeling (1).
body language
It is good to keep a fair distance when speaking with someone and eye contact is preferred -- total avoidance of eye contact could be interpreted as a sign of hiding something. It is good to speak in calm, soft and audible voice. Touching on the shoulder or on the arm when talking face to face with someone of the same sex is okay but touching or holding the opposite sex, with some degree of intimacy and eye contact is not advisable. Pointing fingers at someone or speaking in a loud and angry manner is considered very rude. High voice is a sign of anger or disappointment.
Shaking hands, kissing and hugging is part of the normal greetings and is not, in anyway, an expression of sexual affection. It is common to see women kissing women, women kissing men, and men kissing men on the check in public including in the office. This does not necessarily mean, however, someone may hug and kiss a person whom they have never met before. If you know someone, kissing 3 times on the cheeks is common. For some Muslims, kissing and hugging in greeting may not be as common between men and women, it depends on the person and their relationship. If one is not sure if a more physical, intimate greeting is acceptable, it is better to make an effort to shake hands and then see what the other person does (1).
Shaking hands, kissing and hugging is part of the normal greetings and is not, in anyway, an expression of sexual affection. It is common to see women kissing women, women kissing men, and men kissing men on the check in public including in the office. This does not necessarily mean, however, someone may hug and kiss a person whom they have never met before. If you know someone, kissing 3 times on the cheeks is common. For some Muslims, kissing and hugging in greeting may not be as common between men and women, it depends on the person and their relationship. If one is not sure if a more physical, intimate greeting is acceptable, it is better to make an effort to shake hands and then see what the other person does (1).
greetings in context
Ethiopian society is very hierarchical and age, wealth, education and social contribution plays a role in many contexts. In a formal or professional work setting, it is important to address another person with their title (Ato for man, Weziro for married woman, or Woizrit for an unmarried woman). One may feel it is appropriate to drop the title, however, whether or not this would be appropriate or not needs to be assessed (e.g. some elders prefer to be addressed by their title). One way respect is demonstrated is by addressing people with a title—for example, Woizero (Mrs.) Azeb; Ato (Mr.) Solomon; Doctor Tesfaye; Engineer Gebreyes, etc (1).
When greeting one superior in rank, it is customary to touch the right hand to the ground, and then to the lips while bowing. In family contexts, children are expected to go even further with their parents, prostrating themselves fully to the ground and kissing their fathers' or mothers' feet. Any head covering, especially the Christian devotional shamma, is to be removed during this time (2).
When greeting one superior in rank, it is customary to touch the right hand to the ground, and then to the lips while bowing. In family contexts, children are expected to go even further with their parents, prostrating themselves fully to the ground and kissing their fathers' or mothers' feet. Any head covering, especially the Christian devotional shamma, is to be removed during this time (2).
contemporary context
The lengthy Ethiopian greeting ritual may seem lengthy and inefficient from our Western perspective, but likewise our greetings may seem cold and soulless from an Ethiopian perspective. In either culture, the comfort in relationship between both parties has been established, and further conversation will proceed much more smoothly (2). Consideration of these ritualizations are important in a contemporary context as Ethiopia becomes increasingly globalized.
language tools
This website offers an excellent language learning tool. Simple phrases in three languages spoken in Ethiopia including Amharic (the country's official language), Oromo and Tigrigna are available to learn (3). This language tool, called Phrases of Courtesy in Nine Languages, was developed by a doctoral candidate from the University of Washington Medical School. Its purpose is to foster positive health outcomes through the connection forged in provider-patient relationships involving non-English speakers.
The following two YouTube videos offer basic greeting and conversational phrases in Amharic.
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websites referenced
(references denoted in text as (#) and listed in the order that they appear on this page)
1. http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=et#cn-7
2. http://everything2.com/title/Ethiopian+greeting+etiquette
3. http://media.hsl.washington.edu/ethnomed/courtesyphrases/index.html
1. http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=et#cn-7
2. http://everything2.com/title/Ethiopian+greeting+etiquette
3. http://media.hsl.washington.edu/ethnomed/courtesyphrases/index.html