Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

GREETINGS AND FAREWELLS 

115

Greetings usually involve an exchange of the same or very similar words and

expressions. Different expressions mark different levels of formality. In general,

the briefer the structure, the more informal the greeting or farewell is:

Good morning

(more formal)

Good evening

Hello

Morning

Evening

Hi

Hi there

Hiya

(less formal)

✪

Note that good evening but not goodnight may be used as a greeting. Goodnight

is used either when leaving someone in the late evening or night, or just before

going to bed or to sleep for the night:

[B has just arrived at A’s house]

A: Hello Terry. 

B: Good evening. 

(not: Goodnight.)

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

From discourse to social contexts | 227

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When leaving people, the same conventions regarding formality apply as when

meeting and greeting people:

Goodnight

(more formal)

Goodbye

Bye

Bye bye

See you later

See you 

(often pronounced see ya)

Cheers

Ta-ta

(often pronounced /tə



rɑ/)

(less formal)