[chrisseaton]

> just an educated formality rather than a sincere conversation

So small talk, then.

[lasagnaphil]

I think it is a little different than smalltalk. When people smalltalk, no matter how shallow the conversation is, there is still an intention to “get to know” with each other. But in the cashier example, the cashier does not have any goal to forge a relationship with the customer, but will repeat the same thing over and over because that’s what they’re told to do in the manuals.

[throwaway487548]

> an intention to “get to know”

Not necessarily. It seems like major motivators (not necessarily consciously realized) are to show off and to talk about oneself.

Cosplay of intelligence is another big motivator - how could one possibly look like he have nothing to say?!

[darkerside]

Because it's the polite etiquette, not because they are programmed like robots.

[SilasX]

No. Small talk is, by definition, incidental to the functional, "business" parts of the transaction. It excludes things like: "Your total is $X". "Out of the $Y you gave me, your change is ..." -- i.e., the things the GP was describing in Japan.

Edit: "Welcome to the store [some mini sales pitch]" might count as small talk, but is not what most people have in mind.

[hrktb]

The difference would be that it’s one sided, there is no expectation of response.

It’s so funny when sometimes the clerk has been doing it that job so long that it’s not proper words anymore and you’re not even expected to parse it correctly, it just doesn’t matter.

[SilasX]

Which is a sad state of affairs. I like it when words have meaning.

[hrktb]

yes. Ironically replacing these repetitive roles with machines can give human staff a better chance to move to a supporting role and actually help.

[ekianjo]

It's not even small talk because it's like an automated message.