almost something insider forum

The warp and woof of everyday communication is like a rich quarry for the strange and intriguing when one pokes at it a bit. It's like when you say the same word over and over again and it suddenly sounds crazy. In her youth, Olivia wrote a short book on Aristotle's Categories. Working on the text so closely convinced her of a thesis Aristotle would have argued against. Human language doesn't reveal anything more basic at all. It just gets more complicated. But, she argues, this is no reason to despair of meaning. The trouble is that there is so much meaning, not that it is fragile.

From a manual published by the Social Issues Research Centre at Oxford

The greeting ritual
The greeting procedure mentioned in the last chapter is a good example. When a regular enters the pub, you will often hear a chorus of friendly greetings from other regulars, the public and bar staff (“Evening, Joe”, “Alright, Joe?”, “Wotcha, Joe”, “Usual is it, Joe?”, etc.). The regular responds to each greeting, usually addressing the greeter by name or nickname (“Evening, Doc”, “Alright, there, Lofty?”, “Wotcha, Bill” “Usual, thanks, Pauline”, etc.). No-one is conscious of obeying a rule or following a formula, yet you will hear the same greeting ritual in every pub in the country.

Pub etiquette does not dictate the actual words to be used in this exchange (and you may hear some inventive and idiosyncratic variations). The words may not even be particularly polite: a regular may be greeted with “Back again, Joe? – haven’t you got a home to go to?” or “Ah, just in time to buy your round, Joe!”.

How to join in
When you first enter a pub, don’t just order a drink. Start by saying, “Good evening” or “Good morning” (both are often shortened to “ ’ning”), with a friendly nod and a smile, to the bar staff and the regulars at the bar counter. For most natives, this will trigger an automatic, reflex greeting-response, even if it is only a nod. Don’t worry if the initial response is somewhat reserved. By greeting before ordering, you have communicated friendly intentions. Although this does not make you an ‘instant regular’, it will be noticed, and your subsequent attempts to initiate contact will be received more favorably.