MetaChat - Has anyone here traveled to Delhi?

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21 April 2006

Has anyone here traveled to Delhi? I'm trying to figure out how most people on the street would greet you -- "Namaste"? "Hello"? Something else entirely? →[More:]Guidebooks and web searches are listing major languages spoken, but not really what the common practice might be.

post by: occhiblu at: 10:28 | 9 comments

They would sing you a song about your name and the color of your eyes.

posted by matildaben 21 April | 10:30

Also, please no "Hello, Delhi" Carol Channing puns. I'm rapidly losing patience for those.

posted by occhiblu 21 April | 10:30

Damn. I thought that was only in Italy! :-)

posted by occhiblu 21 April | 10:30

"Namaste" or "namaskar" are probably going to be the most common greetings, but you won't put anyone off by an English greeting.

posted by Specklet 21 April | 10:38

No, an exotic-sounding greeting is good, as long as it's commonly used. It's for some travel literature I'm working on; we're all about Exoticizing the Other in the furtherence of western amusement.

posted by occhiblu 21 April | 10:44

If you're a foreigner, you can use 'Hello' with most people in Delhi.

posted by Gyan 21 April | 10:56

Oh, I see. I'd put in "namaskar", then, since most westerners would be more familiar with "namaste"...

posted by Specklet 21 April | 10:57

Welllll, it's fine line. It's for high-school kids and teachers, so it basically needs to sound exciting! and foreign! without sounding weird! and uncomfortable! and *too* foreign!

"Namaste" is probably the best for the balancing act. Thank you mucho mas for your help :-)

posted by occhiblu 21 April | 11:12

Aapkaa svaagat hai.

posted by Specklet 21 April | 14:05

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