Why Do We Say Hello When Answering the Phone?

What word in the English language is used more frequently than "hello"? You hardly ever take a walk without saying it at least once. When your phone rings, it's an unidentified caller. How would you respond? Simple. You press the "answer" button and greet the person.

When learning a new language, "hello" is typically the first word you learn because it allows you to introduce yourself, grab someone's attention, and convey friendliness.

However, despite the word's widespread use, you probably don't know its true origin.

Let's talk a little about etymology, which is the study of words and how their definitions have evolved over time.

The phrase "hello" (or at least using it as a greeting) is almost as recent as the development of the telephone itself, which might come as a bit of a surprise. Furthermore, the term "hello" was never meant to mean the modern-day "hi" that we use today. The Oxford English Dictionary states that "hello" was first used in writing in 1827, less than 200 years ago.

There were two ways it was used back then, neither of which was a kind salutation. The phrase "Hello, what do we have here?!" was initially used to convey surprise. The second was to attract immediate attention by saying things like, "Hello, what do you think you're doing?!" The equivalent of today's "hey you!" would be this.

What could one anticipate saying as a greeting before the invention of the telephone if the phrase "hello" only became widely used recently?

The typical greeting used by pilgrims in America during the 17th century was "Good morrow" or "How now?" Instead of "Hello, how are you?" use "How do you fair" or "What cheer?" But that's a big departure from "hello." "Hail" was the word people used from the Middle Ages through Shakespeare's period that was most akin to "hello," such as "Hail, Caesar!" This has its roots in the Old Norse word heill, which means "health" in English.

Let's start by dispelling any myths we might have acquired online. According to rumors, the common greeting originated because Alexander Graham Bell's fiancée at the time of patenting the idea had that name. She allegedly married the inventor later. Did this imply that the full name of his wife was Hello Bell? I'm sure not!

Others contend that Alexander Graham Bell was honoring a girlfriend when he selected the standard response to a phone call. According to rumors, this girl's name was Margaret Hello. When we answer the phone, we supposedly do it as a sign of affection.

Despite how intriguing it may sound, this stupid story has absolutely no merit. This rumor is not supported by any historical evidence. It was just made up by someone!

You might be a little let down if you're curious what was spoken to the first-person Alexander Graham Bell called. Because a greeting wasn't actually necessary. A ring wasn't present. The initial conversation was

"Mister Watson, come here. I want you."

Through the 19th century, the phrase "hello" started to gain popularity as a greeting, but it wasn't until the invention of the telephone that its future was assured.

Although it is still debatable if Alexander Graham Bell actually invented the telephone, he is credited with coming up with the standard phone greeting. Who? Thomas Edison

The phone wasn't designed to be a ringing gadget, you see. It was anticipated that there would be an open channel of business contact between the two parties. A greeting would need to be spoken if the caller wanted the person on the other end of the line to know they would like to speak. "Ahoy!" was Graham Bell's suggestion for an ancient marine salutation. He felt so strongly about "ahoy," in fact, that he continued to use it throughout the remainder of his life.

Thomas Edison, a rival, believed that "hello" was a superior choice and advised callers to use that word while responding.

In addition to providing advice on phone etiquette, the first telephone book published in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, in 1878 also featured a "how-to" section. It advised the readers to call someone back with "a firm and happy "hullo," according to the article." Edison's preferred greeting had prevailed by 1880.

Will the most common greeting still be "hi" in the era of smartphones (and possibly beyond)? Will "hello" be as lost to the archives as "ahoy" in a generation where the most popular text greeting is the more casual "hey" or the more fashionable "Whassup"? possibly not.

A straightforward "Hello, world!" program is the first thing new programmers use while learning computer languages. It is merely a means of displaying the direct phrase "Hello, world!" on the computer screen. Since at least 1972, this has been a programming protocol. Numerous widely used slang greetings have come and gone with the introduction of wireless landlines, cell phones, and subsequently smartphones. If not a universal greeting, "Hello" is a timeless one, and we hope it never changes.

The next time someone inquiries about the origin of "hello," you may inform them that it dates all the way back to Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell (and that "ahoy" nearly replaced it as the standard greeting).

We sincerely hope that today's lesson was enjoyable for you. Which aspect of this Origin Story caught your attention the most? What other origin tales are you interested in reading? Let us know in the comments section.

The most fundamental and crucial way to greet someone in any of the dozens of languages that are spoken worldwide is by saying "Hello." These are ten ways to say "hello" in several languages. Who knows, it might be useful while you're traveling.

If Alexander Graham Bell were still alive today, he probably would find it annoying that people still prefer to say "hello" when they first pick up the phone. He wants people to say "ahoy" when they pick up the phone.