When did 'hey, how are you?' become a normal opening greeting in the UK?

[Lucia23]

I'm wondering if this, or some form of this greeting has always existed or not - and also if it is generational.

I'm a millennial and everyone in my age group tends to greet each other like this when meeting. Every single morning my colleagues ask this question too, one after the other. During times when I have been depressed I've found it particularly difficult to answer with the expected 'fine'. But even during a normal period, I find it annoying.

My grandparents never greeted anyone this way right off the bat. My parents never used to either, but now I notice they use this exact sentence as their first greeting to me in the last few years.

Am I wrong in thinking this is more recent, or has it always been a popular greeting? I find it invasive and irritating - although pretend to be easy going about it and answer with 'fine' !

I always say “are you alright” as do my colleagues. Or, if I’ve not seen anyone for a while at work “now then” which basically means ooh lovely to see you how are you not seen you for ages “. When leaving shops I also say “see you later” when obviously I’m not going to. Walking in the hills is either “alright?” Or hiya but pronounced “ay ya”. None of them expect a response or are necessarily the right words or mean anything it’s just being friendly. I do sometimes opt for a normal hello. It may be a northern thing though. I also said thank you and bye three times to a cabbie in London last week as he was refusing to speak, not to make conversation I don’t want that, he literally would not speak.

I remember being puzzled the first time someone said 'Hi BubbleCoffee, how are you?' and then swept past before I could answer. It must have been about 1990.

@ferneytorro

I always say “are you alright” as do my colleagues. Or, if I’ve not seen anyone for a while at work “now then” which basically means ooh lovely to see you how are you not seen you for ages “. When leaving shops I also say “see you later” when obviously I’m not going to. Walking in the hills is either “alright?” Or hiya but pronounced “ay ya”. None of them expect a response or are necessarily the right words or mean anything it’s just being friendly. I do sometimes opt for a normal hello. It may be a northern thing though. I also said thank you and bye three times to a cabbie in London last week as he was refusing to speak, not to make conversation I don’t want that, he literally would not speak.

An American friend of mine moved to Ireland in the 80s and says she got vaguely paranoid about whether she looked ill or unhappy because every time she went to buy vegetables at the local street market, the sellers would say ‘Are you all right?’ Which in my part of the world means ‘Are you being served? What can I get you?’ but she thought she must look pale or ill to keep getting it said to her.

I'm 35, have no idea what that makes me, but I've always used hey how are you as have most people I know in work and outside of work, just seems normal to me.