Hor, Kelly, Ianniello, Halsman 1
Lisa Hor, Abby Kelly, Michael Ianniello, Spencer Halsman
Ines Meyer-Hoess
CAS 271
28 February 2015
Greek Culture
Greece has a unique culture that its people hold with pride. For this reason, communicating with
those who identify with it can at times be difficult to those of (United States) American culture, because
of gratuitous misunderstandings brought by the many differences between the two. Though these
differences are at times polar, successful communication between the two is entirely possible. To conduct
successful intercultural communication with Greek culture, a deep understanding of it, its roots, and its
implications are required.
The Greek language has “no linguistic sisters” among any of the spoken languages in the
European Union that it joined in 1981 (Spanaki 186), which contributes to the overwhelming pride
Greeks have in being Greek, as this helps the language and culture to stand out among other countries as
unique. According to a recent study, “Greeks' pride in being Greek surpasse[s] the ethnic satisfaction of
every other European nation” (Kwintessential), which results in a high amount of identification with
others of the same culture. By extension, this is most likely the reason why Greek culture is one of the
most hospitable ones in Europe. To prove this, Greek greetings are generally warm with a friendly kiss on
the cheek or pat on the back because people are greeted as friends. These customs are from the culture’s
tendency to favor family, as large extended family gatherings common within it, and families operate on a
collectivist belief that an individual in the family can bring either pride or shame to it. Nepotism is not
only common for this reason, but also accepted in Greek culture. Business interactions are also less
formal than most European ones, as such meetings are usually conducted with friends and people who are
close to one another. These gestures and favors of friendship do not go unrewarded, however. It is
courteous for toasts to be given at dinner to friends at the table, and it is polite for the toast to be returned
to the person who made the first speech. That said, Greek culture tends to be give-and-take within a small
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group of people that are friendly toward one another, and it can be rightfully assumed that this comes
from its pride and slightly ethnocentric tendencies.
Out of the countless cultures seen in today’s world, Greek culture is definitely one of the most
ancient. Greece has been inhabited by it people since 1000 B.C. In 1830, it gained its independence from
the Ottoman Empire becoming what we know today as Greece. Its culture is unique because 98 percent of
the Greek population shares the same ethnic descent.
Families and relationships are a large part of Greek culture. Extended families living in homes are
also normal to see in Greek lifestyles. Households normally consist of several generations. It is also
common to see children living with their parents until marriage. Families also celebrate holidays and
ceremonies together. Greece holds a large Greek Orthodox religious tradition presence. From this large
presence government offices are closed for all Orthodox holidays. Easter in Greece is the most important
the time in the Orthodox calendar. It is celebrated by eating lamb and boiled eggs.
In addition to family and religion, food also holds a key role in Greek culture. As Americans, we
gather to eat and drink in restaurants or at home. Greeks do the same but more for the socializing aspects.
It is popular to eat large meal at home but socially in taverns or coffee shops. Greece is known for several
famous meals that they have introduced to the world. This includes dishes such as honey-sweetened
baklava, moussaka, eggplant, lamb, goat and pork, olives, and feta cheese.
An important idea within the social aspect of Greek culture is Philotimi. It is a notion that is held
but many Greeks. It is the measurement of honor and responsibility within their society. In addition to
this, another social norm, similar to the United States, is that visitors bring gifts to their hosts. Popular
gifts include food or liquor. Another important idea known to all Greeks is Kefi. This is the goal of
gaining a happy and relaxing feeling. Kefi is attained socially through gatherings that consist of eating,
drinking, dancing, and having discussion.
The class system Greece holds is generally dependent on mobility. Wealth exists in urban areas
because occupation relies on the notion of Philotimi. Education is also extremely valuable to a Greek
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lifestyle. It is the measurement of success within one’s life because thousands among thousands of
students compete to get into a small range of universities.
As stated earlier, Greek culture is one of the most hospitable and friendly cultures in Europe.
People greet each other as friends, with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Similarly to Latino or Chinese
cultures, Greek cultures are very family oriented and have strong family values. They often have large
family gatherings that include the whole extended family and often spend more time with extended family
than North American cultures. Just like Chinese culture, they believe that a collectivistic approach of the
family where an individual can either bring the entire family pride or shame. In contrast, an American
culture has more of an individualistic approach. Greek culture is often compared to the Roman culture
because the two are very similar. Both the economies of ancient Greece and Rome were based on
agriculture. Both countries were big producers of wheat, wine, and olive oil. Both economies also
involved a lot of mining and both countries owned slaves to help with the labor. A huge difference
between ancient Greece and ancient Roman cultures was that in Greece, women were not citizens and
were considered subject to their father. In Rome however, women were considered citizens. Like most
ancient European cultures, Greece was originally ruled by kings. Then they became an oligarchy,
meaning they were ruled by a few group a people such as cultures like China and Russia. Eventually they
became a democracy which allows the citizens to vote, just like the United States of America. Unlike
today’s American culture, which is considered a “mixing pot” full of other cultures and ethnicities,
Greece is “among the most homogeneous nations, with 98 percent of its population sharing an ethnic
identity, as well as a strong Greek Orthodox religious tradition” (Hitton). Greece as whole has a very
“culture is shared” approach where their perceptions tend to be similar to those belong to the same
cultural group because more of the population is from the same ethnic and cultural group. America has a
culture than is dynamic and heterogeneous and made up of many races, ethnicities and mixed cultures.
Greece has one of the most ancient cultures of all the world’s regions and therefore has a very unique
culture and is different than regions without such a vast history.
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When interacting with members of the Greek culture, it is important for Americans to understand
that while Greeks are a hospitable and expressive culture, there are a few differences in communication
style. In order to engage in meaningful and successful communication, Americans should keep in mind
the different verbal and nonverbal communication styles that Greeks use in various social settings.
There are approximately 1.4 million people of Greek ancestry living in the United States, so it is
likely that an American will encounter a native Greek living here (Pierce). As previously mentioned,
Greece has a tendency towards being collectivistic, with family units being very important. Therefore,
when one first meets a person of Greek heritage, topics such as family are appropriate and encouraged,
but until the relationship is close, avoid asking questions about personal relationships. Greeks are very
hospitable and inviting, so sharing a joke or a laugh is a good strategy to reduce his or her uncertainty.
Winking is also seen as casual and friendly for Greeks, not suggestive as it could be construed in
America. Greeks also are divided when it comes to politics, with members strongly supporting one party
or another. Avoiding speaking of US Foreign policy, economics, politics, or other sensitive issues would
also be wise. Something important to note is that the OK sign (made by making a circle with the thumb
and index finger) is considered obscene.
While international communication is important for many reasons, the economic imperative
emphasizes the importance of communicating in order to understand how to successfully conduct
business in another country. Some businesses offer cross-cultural training to its employees to familiarize
them with the target’s cultural norms. When learning about Greece, employees would be taught that faceto-face communication is highly valued, as is the use of direct eye contact (Business Communication in
Greece). A firm handshake is also a must, as is maintaining a close, trusting relationship with one’s
business partners. Relationships are very important to Greeks, and they prefer greetings or conversations
with some form of physical contact, whether it be a handshake or a hand Although English is taught in
most Greek schools, it is still considered polite to learn a bit of Greek, to show that building a strong
relationship is important. In America, there typically is a greater distance zone between two people
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talking than one would see in Greece. Greeks are very vocal and assertive, and appreciate the same lowcontext communication in return.
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