Salutation

“Eastern modes of salutation are not unfrequently so prolonged as to become wearisome and a positive waste of time. The profusely polite Arab asks so many questions after your health, your happiness, your welfare, your house, and other things, that a person ignorant of the habits of the country would imagine there must be some secret ailment or mysterious sorrow oppressing you, which you wished to conceal, so as to spare the feelings of a dear, sympathizing friend, but which he, in the depth of his anxiety, would desire to hear of. I have often listened to these prolonged salutations in the house, the street, and the highway, and not unfrequently I have experienced their tedious monotony, and I have bitterly lamented useless waste of time” (Porter, Through Samaria, etc.). The work on which the disciples were sent forth was one of urgency, which left no time for empty compliments and prolonged greetings (Luke 10:4).

Salutations may be classed under the two heads of conversational and epistolary. The salutation at meeting consisted in early times of various expressions of blessing, such as “God be gracious unto thee,” (Genesis 43:29) “The Lord be with you;” “The Lord bless thee.” (Ruth 2:4) Hence the term “bless” received the secondary sense of “salute.” The salutation at parting consisted originally of a simple blessing, (Genesis 24:60) but in later times the form “Go in peace,” or rather “Farewell” (1 Samuel 1:17) was common. In modern times the ordinary mode of address current in the East resembles the Hebrew Es-selam aleykum, “Peace be on you,” and the term “salam,” peace, has been introduced into our own language to describe the Oriental salutation. In epistolary salutations the writer placed-his own name first, and then that of the person whom he sainted. A form of prayer for spiritual mercies was also used. The concluding salutation consisted generally of the term “I salute,” accompanied by a prayer for peace or grace.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

The act of saluting, or paying respect or reverence, by the customary words or actions; the act of greeting, or expressing good will or courtesy; also, that which is uttered or done in saluting or greeting. In all public meetings or private addresses, use those forms of salutation, reverence, and decency usual amongst the most sober persons. Jer. Taylor.

Synonyms: Greeting; salute; address. Salutation, Greeting, Salute, Greeting is the general word for all manner of expressions of recognition, agreeable or otherwise, made when persons meet or communicate with each other. A greeting may be hearty and loving, chilling and offensive, or merely formal, as in the opening sentence of legal documents. Salutation more definitely implies a wishing well, and is used of expressions at parting as well as at meeting. It is used especially of uttered expressions of good will. Salute, while formerly and sometimes still in the sense of either greeting or salutation, is now used specifically to denote a conventional demonstration not expressed in words. The guests received a greeting which relieved their embrassment, offered their salutations in well-chosen terms, and when they retired, as when they entered, made a deferential salute. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Luke xi. 43. When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. Luke i. 41. I shall not trouble my reader with the first salutes of our three friends. Addison.