Digital Bonjour: French Greetings in the Age of Social Media

The digital age has transformed how we communicate, and French greetings are no exception. Let's examine how French speakers say hello in texts, emails, and on social media platforms.

Text Messages and Instant Messaging

In casual digital conversations, French speakers often use abbreviated forms of greetings:

• "slt" for "salut" (hi)
• "bjr" for "bonjour" (hello)
• "cc" for "coucou" (hey)
• "wsh" for "wesh" (yo, from Arabic)
• "koi29" for "quoi de neuf" (what's up)
• "sava" for "ça va" (how are you)
• "asv" for "âge, sexe, ville" (age, sex, city - used in chat rooms)
• "re" for "re-bonjour" (hello again)
• "Lu" for "salut" (hi)
• "Yo" (borrowed from English)

Social Media Greetings

On platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, French users might use:

• "Coucou les amis!" (Hey friends!)
• "Hello tout le monde!" (Hello everyone!)
• "Salut la compagnie!" (Hi everyone!)
• "Bonjour à tous!" (Good morning/hello to all!)
• "Kikou" (Cutesy way of saying hello)
• "Hey!" (Borrowed from English)
• "Salutations!" (Greetings!)
• "Ohé!" (Hey there!)
• "Holà!" (Hey!)
• "Bien le bonjour!" (A warm hello!)

Email Greetings

For professional or formal emails, French speakers typically use:

• "Bonjour,"
• "Bonjour Madame/Monsieur,"
• "Cher Monsieur/Chère Madame,"
• "Messieurs, Mesdames,"
• "À qui de droit," (To whom it may concern)
• "Bonjour à toute l'équipe," (Hello to the whole team)
• "Salutations distinguées," (Distinguished greetings)
• "Bien cordialement," (Best regards)
• "Cordialement," (Regards)
• "Bien à vous," (Sincerely yours)

The Impact of Technology on French Language Use

Technology has significantly influenced French language use:

1. Abbreviations are more common
2. English words are frequently borrowed
3. Accent marks are often omitted for convenience
4. Emojis and GIFs supplement or replace text greetings
5. Voice messages introduce new forms of audio greetings
6. Hashtags create new greeting trends
7. Memes become a form of visual greeting
8. Reaction buttons serve as non-verbal greetings
9. Auto-correct and predictive text influence spelling
10. Character limits on platforms like Twitter affect greeting length

French Internet Slang and Abbreviations

Beyond greetings, French internet slang includes:

• "mdr" for "mort de rire" (lol)
• "ptdr" for "pété de rire" (rofl)
• "jsp" for "je ne sais pas" (idk)
• "tlm" for "tout le monde" (everyone)
• "psk" for "parce que" (because)
• "cad" for "c'est-à-dire" (that is to say)
• "dsl" for "désolé" (sorry)
• "stp/svp" for "s'il te/vous plaît" (please)
• "tkt" for "t'inquiète" (don't worry)
• "qqn" for "quelqu'un" (someone)

Maintaining Politeness in Digital Communication

To stay polite in French digital communication:

1. Use proper greetings and farewells
2. Avoid all-caps unless for emphasis
3. Use emojis judiciously in professional contexts
4. Respond in a timely manner
5. Proofread before sending
6. Avoid overuse of exclamation points
7. Use formal "vous" unless invited to use "tu"
8. Avoid using slang in professional emails
9. Include a signature in formal emails
10. Thank the recipient for their time

Practice Exercises

1. Translate these digital greetings to standard French: a) "slt cv?" b) "bjr tlm!" c) "cc, koi29?"

2. Write a formal email greeting to: a) A professor b) A potential employer c) A group of colleagues

3. Create three social media posts with appropriate French greetings for: a) Wishing everyone a good morning b) Announcing exciting news to friends c) Starting a professional discussion

Answers and explanations can be found at the end of this article.

Conclusion

The digital world has brought new dimensions to French greetings. While it's important to adapt to these changes, maintaining politeness and appropriateness in different contexts remains crucial. By understanding these nuances, you can navigate French digital communication with confidence and cultural awareness.

Exercise Answers

1. a) "Salut, ça va?" (Hi, how are you?) b) "Bonjour tout le monde!" (Hello everyone!) c) "Coucou, quoi de neuf?" (Hey, what's new?)

2. a) "Bonjour Professeur [Nom]," b) "Madame, Monsieur," c) "Chers collègues,"

3. a) "Bonjour à tous ! J'espère que vous passerez une excellente journée. ☀️" b) "Coucou les amis ! J'ai une super nouvelle à partager avec vous... 🎉" c) "Bonjour à mon réseau professionnel. Je souhaiterais lancer une discussion sur..."

Explanations: The formal email greetings maintain professionalism. Social media posts balance friendliness with appropriate formality based on the audience and purpose of the message.