GO INTO ANY FRENCH SHOP and the person behind the sales desk will look up, smile and say ‘Bonjour, Monsieur’ (or ‘Bonsoir, Madame’, or occasionally ‘Bon après midi, Mademoiselle’). It’s a polite way of welcoming you into their store.
English, sadly, has no real equivalent of these words. ‘Hello’ is too chatty, ‘Good morning’ too formal, ‘Good day’ too archaic. ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’ are used only by waiters and policemen.
So what’s the alternative? Either a muttered ‘Morning’, or, more often, a sharp upwards jerk of the chin to acknowledge your presence. More usually still, you’re completely ignored.
I’d even be happy with ‘Wotcha, cock’.
