Miss Manners: ‘Nice’ is better on the way out

Dear Miss Manners: You implied that it’s inappropriate to greet someone one has just met with, “Nice to meet you.” In my case, I have usually greeted new acquaintances with “It’s nice to meet you” (perhaps even adding “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you” when truthful).

Is it simply the absence of the “It’s” in the beginning of “Nice to meet you” which makes the statement inappropriate? I suspect I may not be the only person wondering whether there’s something wrong with saying “It’s nice to meet you,” when meeting someone for the first time.

Gentle Reader: Wrong is much too harsh a word for a nuance of etiquette in regard to a kindly meant remark, and quibbling about an incomplete spoken sentence would be ridiculous, as well as rude. Far be it from Miss Manners to inhibit pleasantries. Furthermore, as you quite rightly note, declarations of pleasure in finally meeting someone one has particularly wanted to meet are ingratiating.

The only reason that pedants such as Miss Manners eschew declaring their pleasure upon meeting someone unknown for the first time is to be able to declare their pleasure upon parting. A neutral “How do you do?” at the beginning of the encounter makes it possible to say a more flattering, “It is so nice to have met you” at its conclusion. The “it is” is optional.