Forms of Greetings in Georgian and English Languages

Abstract

Abstract
In this paper I identify similarities and differences between forms and functioning of phatic greetings in terms of nominative and
communicative meaning in two unrelated languages - Georgian and English on the empirical material of 20th and 21st century Georgian and English literature. By using descriptive, contrastive, qualitative research methods in synchronous aspect we got very interesting result which shows that Georgian and English languages have the same amount of forms of phatic greeting; they are absolutely similar in communicative meaning and only some forms differ in nominative meaning. One obvious example is a main word Hello, with which the Englishman wishes health, a whole life to a listener, while Georgians wish their communicators victory with a main greeting phrase გამარჯობა (gamarjoba). Most kinds of forms of phatic greetings in both languages apply to positive politeness strategies.