Anyone use "SERWUS"?

Is there anyone on the Forum who uses the greeting "serwus" or knows somebody who does? Cześć is by far the most widespread form, but among the older generation "serwus" can still be heard.

Anyone know when it went out of use?
Is it still used in the German-speaking countries?

Never heard of it.

:P

It is not commonly used now. It was popular in the 70s due to a radio programme Serwus, jestem nerwus

I know it but never use. Sounds a bit old fashioned.

it was never all that popular anyway. here and there i still hear it but it's not an everyday kind of thing.

I've only ever heard of Servus as a greeting in Austria - never in Germany.

if is is really used then with a jocular intention

Serwus was used by a Polish guy here who worked in Austria for a while. He used it to greet his follow Poles.

It's popular in Bavaria as well, though the Bavarians dislike the Austrians and vice versa.

Ah right... that would make sense. I've only ever spent time in Northern Germany.

Yeah, it's very much a southern thing. Hamburgers wouldn't use it.

Not when they've got "Moin Moin" and "Hummel Hummel" instead :)

Hummel Hummel, they promote brand names on the streets? How much were they paid for that? ;)

Moin Moin sounds like some French wine imported in Germany.

You have no idea how much Germans get paid by Tag Heuer to go around saying how great their products are.... Guten Tag!! :D

(sorry... that's a bit lame, isn't it?)

And Tag Heuer are Swiss, lol

Good joke, not lame.

The 'Ur-Hamburger' always respond the same way: "Hummel, Hummel" - "Moos, Moos"

As far as 'Serwus!', of course I've heard it, much as in Austria and Hungary (Szervus).
'Pa!' or 'Cześć!' though, are far more common.

In Bavaria, I usually recall 'Pfueti!' (lit. 'Behuet dich Gott!') as the leave-taking equivalent to 'Gruess Gott!'. Occasionally, 'Mach's gut!' is also heard.

I've seen serwus in Polish textbooks for foreign learners printed in the 60's and 70's but I've never ever heard it in real life.

I think I have heard it a few times in old movies but I wouldn't swear to that.

In Hungarian it's abbreviated to szia and used (especially) as an informal farewell that sounds remarkably like the American 'see ya'. (Hungarian sz = s)

I've never heard it used in real life.

Granted, I've never actually heard anyone younger than around sixty say 'Serwus!', either in Poland or in Polish communities here in the New York area-:)

By the by, the proper response to 'Hummel, Hummel'! is 'Mors, Mors'!, and not 'Moos, Moos'!

i use 'serwus' very often.

The guy who repairs my bike always says serwus. It does have a Germanic feeling to it so I shouldn't be surprised that a Silesian comes out with it.

Polonius3

It's actually "SerVus" and Hungarians use it. I've heard my Hungarian friends use it.


My friend is 32.

Seanus

Austrians use it a lot.

M-G (nah)

It's Latin. Servus is 'slave'. It has originaly meant 'at your service'.
The same kind of greeting as in
'czołem' - 'bowing with the forehead', or
'służba!' - 'servitude' 'service'.

Greetings older than that are:
'pomagaj Bóg' - may God aid you
'daj ci Bóg dzień dobry' - may God give a good day

Farewells were:
'z Bogiem' - 'with God'
'do następnego' - 'till then'
'na razie' - 'for now'
'żegnajcie' - 'farewell'
'bywajcie' - 'farewell'

I heard it a fair bit in Austria right enough. There are many other ways, siema being another popular one.

Sure, Germans and Austrians are into the high culture a lot, they had strong religious life as well - as Teutonic Knights for example. Why would they not know Latin?

I'm sure they did :)

Slightly OT:


The meaning of the word 'servus' was taken in medieval times by the word "sclavus" (from Slavus, Slav), which in today's Italian is "schiavo" (skiawo). From the Venetian version of the same word comes Italian "ciao" (czao = cześć).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servus

Torq

Well, that is kinda funny. If it means "at your service" (I wouldn't want to go with the "I am your slave" meaning as I think it's not really relevant today:) ), it's a bit odd as the only times I hear ppl using it, it's when they leave you. It's used as a "goodbye" as far as I know.

M-G (weathergirl at RTE is mmmm:) )

In other countries yes, M-G. However, Torq is right. The bike repair guy clearly uses it as 'don't mention it, I'm at your service'. I can hear it in his tone.