Why is it that people smile when I say such things?

I haven't said "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" since 1845. Try "Hi."

Oh, I can see why they're smilng! It's very polite, and it's **very** formal language. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" and "'I'm delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you" sounds like you're meeting the King or someone! "Lovely/nice to meet you" is sufficient for most casual introductions. "Would you care to introduce yourself?" is also quite formal. A more casual way to phrase the question is "And you are...?" or just "What's your name?" So, all together... "Hi. Nice to meet you, I'm [Abc]. And you are...?"

It comes off very formal and emphatic. You sound very polite, probably more polite than most people are when introducing themselves. People probably find it odd but endearing, because it gives the impression that you're REALLY happy to meet them, and that's nice even if it's not normal, so that's probably why they smile. If you want to be less remarkable, you can just use more casual language. For example, "(It's a) pleasure to meet you" or "Nice to meet you" instead of "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" or "Lovely to meet you", respectively. Simply asking "What's your name?" is a fine alternative to "Would you care to introduce yourself?", although usually people will introduce themselves without prompting if you do so first.

This is a very formal, old-fashioned way of speaking. It surprises people, but they also seem to find it charming. 

It's extremely formal, I'd be a little taken aback, but it's cute. Honestly all you can really do to modify "Nice to meet you." Without sounding strange is to change the adjective you use. (Like "awesome to meet you" or "lovely to meet you") I usually say "meet'cha" instead of "meet you", too.

Yes, it is odd to say "would you care to introduce yourself?". After you introduce yourself, they will introduce themselves, and there's no need to prompt them or ask their name. Asking them to introduce themselves makes it seem like they weren't going to do that already.

I say, it's lovely to meet you. Brits can't go a day without saying lovely. I wouldn't use the others, though.

You’re speaking very very formal to them

if you prefer to keep it formal you can say "May I know your name?" and loosen it up a little bit as you get to talking. i get it, not everyone wants to be super informal when they first meet people! they're smiling because it's nice to have someone be really polite for a change :)

"It was lovely to meet you!" is more something you'd say at the end of a conversation, when you are saying goodbyes. I don't tend to use it with people I've newly met at the beginning of a conversation, unless I've been told about this person and being introduced for the first time (I e. like a friend's boyfriend or parent - "oh my gosh, I've heard so much about you - it is so nice to meet you!") "I'm delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you" is (1) very formal; (2) is language you would moreso use when responding to/writing a formal business email (I.e. in the context of requesting an interview or job hunting); (3) is a bit long (you could also say, I'm delighted to speak with you); (4) is redundant to "it's lovely to meet you". What you can say at the end of the conversation instead is, "it was so nice meeting and chatting with you!" "would you care to introduce yourself" is incredibly formal. most people would just say - "and you are...?". Another way is just to say, "my name is x...!" and then look at them pointedly - they will then introduce themselves.

“Lovely to meet you!” is great, the rest are a bit too formal 💖

Most native English speakers, especially in Britain, have an anti-elitist sensibility. There are historical conventions which persist to a certain extent for the most formal interactions in the upper echelons, but (outside the USA, at least) we usually try to speak on equal, informal terms unless there is a pressing requirement for authority or distance. When seeing a stranger at a party, reception or social event (not just randomly on the street), I would usually first establish eye contact with a smile and say something like "Hello. I don't believe we've met." If they don't introduce themselves immediately then I take the initiative and follow up with "Chris here" and a short bit of relevant info to the occasion (e.g. "I used to work with Tony", "This is only my second time here", or "I only just made it here on time"). If they don't give you their name, I would ask them a question, but not what their name is (e.g. "Have you been to one of these events before?", "How do you fit into all this?", or "Have I missed anything?"). If the conversation gets going, I might add later "I don't think I got your name". Context is everything. The default idiom you feel comfortable with will take time to develop. You don't want to be too matey too soon, especially if you aren't in your element, but English generally doesn't want formality as much as (at least an illusion of) friendliness. Not having a separate formal "you" (or rather having lost the informal "thou") the switch between formal and informal registers is subtle, sliding, and open to being gently punctured.

Just introduce yourself and say, “Nice to meet you.” These other phrases were probably used hundreds of years ago or in old movies. They don’t sound natural in 2025.

It’s the most polite way possible to say that, people might find it pleasantly funny or potentially think you’re being sarcastic.

I smiled reading this 🤗 The word choice & sentence structure truly are lovely; also very rarely encountered in the wild. Don't change a thing about this!

You sound more formal than a native speaker would sound even in a formal setting. 🙂 It sounds whimsical. We would usually say "hi, I'm so-and-so. It's nice to meet you", or "hello, I'm so-and-so. It's a pleasure to meet you" if you want to make it a little more formal. "Would you care to introduce yourself" actually does sound odd, and maybe even sarcastic (although I'm sure people know you don't mean it that way, since you're very polite and not a native speaker). People usually introduce themselves without being asked. In most situations, I would probably say "what's your name?" (upon first meeting someone) or "I don't think I caught your name" (if we've already been interacting for a while).

Whatever your culture and personality is, don’t change it. This is what some people call, “charm.” I find it endearing when a person from another part of the world greets me in what I may also call, a poetic or flowery, enthusiastic way. It’s lovely and life-giving. Many adults in the US are tired and burned out and it takes a lot out of them to “adult” or “people” meaning, to socialize with strangers or meet new people. I would smile at this because it’s refreshing and new. Because it’s wonderful. ❤️

Instead of “would you care to introduce yourself” you could speak more from your desire vs asking them how they feel (would you care to) which puts them on the spot in some way. I’d suggest, - please tell me your name! - what is your name? - how should I address you? - how do you like to be called? - would you say your name slow for me so I can understand it better? I’m new here! - I’m visiting and practicing English. Would you share something about yourself to help me in conversation? Anything like that which is more about yourself and your desire to know something about them.

People may just be caught off guard.  This way of talking isn’t used much and it’s very formal. People might think you’re “REALLY” happy to meet them and smile or they might think it’s sarcastic and have a laugh. I personally revere this way of speaking and I wish someone would talk to me this way when first meeting. Its sounds so pleasing and impressive. If you want to sound boring and dull (no offence to anyone), then speak casually. Say “hi” “nice to meet you” “what’s your name” etc. And “would you care to introduce yourself” is kind of unnecessary because when meeting someone and you introduce yourself, it’s natural that they would introduce themselves right after. A simple “what’s your name” would  suffice. Only situation I can think of where you can use “would you care to introduce yourself” is in an interview or interrogation. 

Two things: 1. The register of your English is very polished, elevated and genteel. Therefore it sounds more like a character from an historical Regency period novel, than your average local on the streets of NY or London. Many will consider this quaint and charming because of the cultural associations your style of English enjoys. Some will find it strange because it is not how we speak these days. 2. If you want to continue speaking in that style then there is nothing stopping you and many will find it delightful. But it is important that you make that confident personal choice armed with the knowledge and awareness that is not common and you will stand out because of the linguistic self-image you will be projecting. If you like the way your English sounds and feels, and you think it's a good fit for you in spite of the idiosyncrasy, then you do you, and stick with it.

Bro you from the hood

Most people might simply say, “Nice to meet you.” Nothing you have said is wrong or impolite. In fact they’re all very nice, it’s just over-the-top. It’s all extremely formal, like something you might read in a romance novel.

Id only speak like that at work. Otherwise it's extremely formal. I'd say something like "hey, im ____." and after they say their name, id say something like "it's nice to meet you"

They’re smiling because it’s amusing. Most people don’t hear this type of language being spoken in earnest.

I associate this language with aggressive sales tactics and multi level marketing. There is a good chance I would smile politely and tell you that I'm not interested and walk away or shut the door.

People smile because, no offence, you're making yourself looked a little dumb and alien-ish by speaking so formally and saying things which people wouldn't usually say. Don't worry, I get that too sometimes. People don't usually say "it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance", they say something along the lines of "it's nice to meet you", if it's the first time meeting them.  "Hello, I'm [name], it's nice to meet you", usually the other person would respond with their name without the prompt of "would you like to introduce yourself".

OP, if that's how you want to talk, go right ahead. It's clear, it's polite. There's nothing wrong with it. Only change how you speak if you want to.

It’s not that the way you speak is wrong, but it’s a little unnaturally flowery and antiquated to the point where someone might think you’re being silly, joking, or quirky - all of which may explain the smile. To be clear: it’s not offensive. It’s innocuously odd; depending on the person they find it weird or endearing.

Cannot stress enough that **you don't need to make amendments**, but if you want people to stop smiling like that you can try being less formal. Hello, I'm \[Abc\]. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance/ lovely to meet you --- Hey/Hi, I'm (abc), nice to meet you Im delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you --- if you're leaving you can say like It's been great talking to you, otherwise I don't really see people saying they're enjoying talking to someone unless it's a friend and there's a break in conversation? Maybe the people I'm talking to just really hate my conversation lol. Would you care to introduce yourself --- you really don't need to prompt someone to introduce themself, after you do they'll probably just follow suit.

"Why do people smile when I talk to them in a way that would make me look like an AI bot, if I not for the real-life encounter of my persona?" Idk mate

OP is taking lessons in aristocratic speech by the way, lmao.

You’re trying way too hard

Too formal. Coming off too formal can indicate that you aren’t comfortable around them so they’re likely smiling to make themselves seem more approachable. This is something we do subconsciously and being aware of it can make you more effective around others

Nobody speaks like that

It's even amusing the way you ask for help, I'm curious where you've learnt all this?

Try some stupid romcom movies or series, they’re more helpful to add some phrases into your spoken vocabulary. There’re different types of English, IELTS English, Queen English and so on. And then there’s real, everyday, normal English that people actually speak. It’s sad and boring that most of the time you’d have to say “hi”, “yeah” and several adjectives with “very”, but I think most languages are like that.

That's very sweet

It's REALLY formal do It's a bit funny because it doesn't happen often

No need to change, I’d find it charming

Honestly, it would make my day if a foreigner greeted me with an old-fashioned greeting in my native language. 기체강녕하옵신지요?

Aside from being too formal for most occasions, it's too long. Most languages favour an economy of words when speaking because people don't want to hold all these flowery flourishes in their heads when they're listening to you and trying to parse out the meaning and reading your body language all at the same time. Go for short and polite. You'll be doing them a favour.

It's just realllyyy formal. So much so that some people might think that you're joking with them or being sarcastic. Just stick to the basics if you want to do it like native speakers. "It was nice \[meeting/to meet\] you."

It’s very formal - in a polite situation I would probably say “hello, I’m X, it’s lovely to meet you/ it’s a pleasure to meet you” at the most and then leave it up to the other person to respond. Anything more would seem a little overly polite to me.

Because you talk like you're in a business meeting lol That's why it's amusing. It's not wrong, just way, way too formal. This isn't how they see you because you're non-native, but if a native speaker spoke like this in regular conversation they would be seen as weird or pretentious. Even in your last sentence, you said 'amendments' instead of 'changes'. I don't know where you learnt English; maybe you mostly learned classroom or business English, so it's probably not your fault. So I would advise you to start learning more colloquial English. "Nice to meet you!" is a better, colloquial alternative. Usually you would start off with a greeting, ask for their name first (to be a little polite), and then they'd ask for yours in return. Even if they forget to, you can just quickly say your name afterward anyways. Then you say 'nice to meet you!' and get into small talk.

r/EnglishLearningCircleJerk

Sounds extremely formal like something out of an old movie.

I used to do this! Like everyone here is saying, it’s just too formal. Even in a really formal setting it would be too formal and old-school.

You're too intelligent to say simple things, such as "Hi". It's not that I want to argue, instead I adore this. Maybe be simpler

You sound very formal and old-fashioned. It sounds nice, but people don't really talk like this to each other. Try 'Hi, I'm 'your name', it's nice to meet you.' This is still polite, just casual and how most people talk everyday.

Bait. This isn’t a question asked in good faith. Your post history has you asking multiple times in multiple places about deliberately cultivating a “posh” or “cultured” manner of speech. Go ahead and LARP as a Victorian. You sound insufferable.

Maybe ur trying to give too much of your personality by the way u talk, and maybe that is weird for people to hear at first impression. And you know that, and your don't care and still talk like that, that speak for itself, people are going to think about it but because you give it so easily English not my first lenguage.

Bc that seems too formal

It's too formal for just about any context, and it doesn't sound natural: it sounds like you're deliberately trying to be over the top or old fashioned or funny, like when people say "how art thou" instead of "how are you." People just don't speak this way. >I usually start with, 'Hello, I'm [Abc]. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance,' or sometimes, 'Lovely to meet you!' Then l'd follow up with, 'I'm delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you.' * "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintaince" is something you hear in movies from the 1950s. It's not commonly used anymore. * "Lovely to meet you" sounds fine, depending where you are: it's probably more common in the UK than the US. "Nice to meet you" works anywhere. * "I'm delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you" is too formal for most contexts. In the UK, it might work in a more formal setting, particularly a professional email. >Surely, it isn't odd to say, 'Would you care to introduce yourself?' It is odd. It comes across as slightly sarcastic or condescending. If you just want to know how to speak to people you're meeting in a friendly way in your daily life, in most situations you can't go wrong with "hi, I'm ABC. Nice to meet you." And at the end of the conversation "it was nice to meet you."

It is old-fashioned... but they are mainly smiling because you are introducing yourself, and they smile to show pleasure at meeting you.

It sounds like a poorly disguised alien. "Greetings fellow human (wink) "

It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's overly formal and antiquated. People generally use greetings that once would have been considered informal, even in formal settings, and a much briefer exchange. I usually advocate for using whatever wording you prefer, as long as it is understood and not ambiguous or offensive, but you must be aware of the perception such language would have. You would certainly have more leeway than a native speaker would have in being able to get away with it.

Well its formal and very kind compared to our Wassup nice to meet u what u into? No thing wrong w yours tho

Haven’t seen this one mentioned, but besides the fact that you’re speaking very formally a lot of English speakers (Americans especially) just tend to smile a lot. It’s seen as polite to smile when greeting someone.

Note that it “sounds formal” in writing! Imagine this being a skit or a real life encounter with a person, said with enthusiasm and a wide smile? Would you (Native Speakers I’m talking to you) still say this is formal and old fashioned? Is it truly old fashioned to be glad to meet someone?

These are all very formal sounding. What context or situation are you talking this way? “It’s nice/good to meet you” is a much more common way to say it than using pleasure or lovely or delighted

It sounds very wholesome, and I would smile in response, because it's kind of cute, and because I would want to put you at ease and make you feel welcome. Smiling is a good thing.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to speak with you” sounds a bit creepy in a beggy kind of way. It’s too deferential and makes it seem like meeting them is a rare honour. Which of course is weird if they’re just a normal person you know nothing about. I would stop saying this immediately. Just “lovely/good/nice to meet you,” would be perfect. Also, asking someone to “introduce [themselves]” is a serious ‘no, no’. It’s far too direct and imposing. Especially when you present it like a rhetorical question, which makes it sound very sassy. After introducing yourself, a simple “what’s your name?” will suffice. If the person is comfortable enough to share more, they will.

You don’t need to ask people to introduce themselves, they should go ahead and do it automatically. It also comes across as very scripted and unnatural. It may be misinterpreted as you being fake or trying to ingratiate yourself for some ulterior motive. Something like “Hi my name is x, it’s nice to meet you”. Once they respond with their name, you might go with “I’m looking forward to speaking with you about x”.

There’s no problem using those linguistically, the problem is that they sound super old school. That was my problem at one point as well, because I was watching a lot of old series and series about old times and reading a lot of books that had that kind of language, so their speech patterns left a mark. My teacher nipped that in the bud real quick, he said something like “ being good at a language isn’t about how complex you can make your speech or how many big or difficult words you can fit in your sentences. It’s about understanding the situation and communicating with your subject clearly.” And that stayed with me, for example I speak simply when I converse with a non native speaker whose English might not be as good as others and with my friends who are native speakers, I speak normally.