pregreeting

Pregreeting is a term used in sociolinguistics and digital communication to describe the set of greetings, pleasantries, and social signals that occur before the main communicative exchange begins. It encompasses preparatory messages, anticipatory salutations, and early acknowledgments that precede the substantive part of an interaction.

Etymology and scope: The word is a neologism formed by combining the prefix pre- with greeting. It is not widely standardized in scholarly terminology and tends to appear in discussions about online etiquette, workplace communication, and cross-cultural interactions.

Usage and examples: In email or messaging contexts, pregreetings include brief lines such as “Hope you’re well” or “Good morning—thanks for taking the time.” In meetings, a preopening “Hello everyone” or a quick check-in before the agenda begins is another form. In cross-cultural settings, pregreetings can reflect norms on formality and relationship. In digital platforms, pregreetings can help set tone in asynchronous exchanges and prepare participants for forthcoming content.

Functions and considerations: The intended functions include easing social friction, signaling intent, and aligning expectations. Critics argue that pregreetings can feel performative or inflate discourse if overused, and may be misinterpreted across cultures where salutations carry different levels of significance.

Relation to related concepts: Pregreeting overlaps with phatic communication (the social function of small talk), anticipatory social cues, and prefaces in written correspondence. See also phatic communication, small talk, and preface.