East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." At least, that’s what English writer Rudyard Kipling said. Truth is, nowadays Easterners and Westerners meet quite often. And when they do meet, naturally, they have to find an appropriate greeting. Aye, there’s the rub. What’s culturally appropriate for people in one culture may be completely out of line in another culture. So the best approach is to follow the well-known maxim, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
　　So what’s an appropriate salutation for Americans? Maybe you already know how to say, "How are you?" You might even know the customary response, "Fine, thanks, and you?" Is that all there is to greeting people American-style? Well, Americans do often use this trite greeting, and they generally expect nothing but the standard answer. (If you want to shock an American friend, the next time he greets you this way, tell him how you’re really doing.) But most Americans enjoy a little variety now and then. In informal settings, you might hear Americans say, "How’s it going?" (which doesn’t mean, "What’s your destination?") or "What’s up?" (which isn’t an inquiry about the stock market). Formal situations, on the other hand might call for expressions like "Good morning" or "Hello, it’s nice to see you."
　　那么，对美国人而言，什么才是适当的问候语？可能你已经懂得怎么说「How are you?」（你好吗？）你甚至也知道一般常用的回答「Fine, thanks, and you?」（我很好，谢谢，你呢？）用美国的方式来问候别人，就仅仅如此而已吗？其实美国人的确常用这老套的问候方式，而他们所期待的，也只是一般的标准回答。（你如果想让你的美国朋友吃惊，下一次他如此问候你时，你就把你真正的感觉告诉他。）但是，多数的美国人偶而会喜欢有些变化。在非正式的场合里，你可能听到美国人说「How’s it going?」 (它不是在问「你的目的地是哪里？」)或者是「What’s up?」(它也不是询问股市的动态) 而在另一方面，一个正式的场合所使用的问候语，则可能是「Good morning」（早安），或是「Hello, it is nice to see you.」（哈啰！很高兴见到你。）