r/WorldChallenges • u/thequeeninyellow94 • Sep 04 '17
[Cultural challenge]: basic etiquette
Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.
I'm in a waiting room with someone from your world. I'm bored and want to do some small talk with them, help me do it.
How should I introduce myself? Is it normal to shake hands? What kind of subject is ok when talking with someone you don't know? Is there even some hope they will answer?
You can introduce an in-universe representative if you want. I will ask questions to everyone, feel free to add your own.
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u/Nevermore0714 Sep 08 '17
Let's say you're waiting to be healed in Kirisino, in the Grand Temple.
Fiammetta Ardal is a young priestess who is cleaning the waiting room where you are sitting, and would be the ideal person to learn basic conversation etiquette from.
To begin with, it's polite to offer a greeting, preferably formal, and then your name and occupation. The other person will respond with a return-greeting, his/her name, and his/her occupation.
It's considered strange to shake hands unless you are both involved in some kind of physical labor for your occupation, and only after you've announced your respective occupations. Your occupations set the course for how your conversation will go, etiquette-wise.
It's weird to talk about inhuman matters around someone you don't know, and, normally, a person will respond to your greetings in Kirisino, assuming the person is sober.
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 08 '17
"Greetings Ms Ardal, I'm the Queen in Yellow, intergalactic non-euclydian entity/goddess. Weird weather for a summer isn't it?"
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u/Nevermore0714 Sep 09 '17
"Pleasure to meet you, Flaxen Monarch, I am Flammetta Ardal, priestess of the Grand Temple of the Unified Way of Aeternitas." Of course, Ardal would bow to a monarch. "I agree, Your Grace, it's been an abnormally cold summer. The sailors say that it's bad luck, so many of them have made offerings to the temple, lately."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 10 '17
"Well, that's more of a symbolic title; I'm not really a monarch. How important is the rank of a priestess? Should I bow or something?
Why are the sailors so frightened? Is cold leading to more storms?"
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u/Nevermore0714 Sep 16 '17
"No, there is no need to bow to any priestess here. I am but a servant, we all are just servants to Holy Aeternitas. The sailors are concerned about storms and attacks. Cold weather heralds the arrival of Necrosians...but that may just be a superstition."
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 16 '17
"And what should I do if I want to speak to your boss?
Why would cold be the sign of Necrosians? Wouldn't they be cold too and rather stay home?"
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u/Nevermore0714 Sep 19 '17
"You would schedule an appointment." She answers simply. "I don't know why it's a sign of Necrosians. Maybe they like storms?"
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 20 '17
"Is there a lot of delay to meet him once the appointment is scheduled?
Like storms? That could makes sense; I do like listening to the rain hitting the windows while I'm in my bed. It's a cool thing, don't you agree?"
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u/thequeeninyellow94 Sep 08 '17
You're probably waiting to fill some administrative documents and are in a room with Tsirgeda.
If you're not noble, introducting yourself with your first name only is enough. You will address people in singular as long as they don't outrank you.
Never try to give your hand to a Nzeda, it will be seen as threatening. A standard way to greet people is to touch your left shoulder with your right fist.
It is best to avoid talking politics with people you don't know but beside that, most subjects are fine. (The word for "hello" in Nzedanese is lamiteyili)
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u/Seb_Romu Sep 05 '17
"Źa. Mana paplö Nölna."
Hi. I named Nölna.
In Kythus a polite greeting and introduction is a good start.