I read in the economist this week that people rarely used "hello" a a greeting until the telephone was invented. Bell suggested "ahoy, ahoy", but Edison's suggetion of "hello" won. For how often we use that word, I found it interesting that it's popularity is so recent.
5 comments:
Ahoy was suggested because that was what was traditionally used when you knew someone was there but couldn't see them. It kind of makes more sense for the phone.
yeah, like "Ahoy, matey. Measure the landlubber for his chains. Arrr."
I usually answer the phone with, "beef jerky help hotline." This form of greeting was also not in use previous to the year 0 B.J.
Big Jams, uurt!
Ben is right. 'Hello' implies recognition of the individual you're greeting - which wasn't introduced until caller id came about. And even then, we just answered the phone with "Hi Ben".
On another note, Erin and I often use the word "hello", so I don't really know what their point is.
Okay, I read that again and it makes more sense. Erin and I rarely used the word "hello" before the telephone was invented.
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