Graeme Miller wrote:

Conversational Italian now...

The older language tapes suggest that "Ciao" is only for use between friends
of if you're talking to children. The more modern BBC late night programmes
sprinkle the greeting around quite liberally as if its got the same status
as "Hi" in English.

Lots of perfect strangers say "Hi" to each other in the English speaking
world, but would an Italian I don't know be affronted if I said "Ciao" to
them on first meeting?

The rule is: you should say "ciao" only to people familiar enough, that
you would address with the "tu" form. If the people are unfamiliar
enough to deserve the "lei" form, "ciao" is inappropriate.

Of course, most people will understand that such subtilities are lost to
foreigners, and will not be offended by a "ciao" coming from a
foreigner. However, it does not stop sounding inappropriate, especially
to older persons (at 42, I am old enough to hear it as inappropriate).


--
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Home page: http://www.angelfire.com/ar/archivarius
(musicologia pratica)