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Fri 8 Dec, 2006 12:13 am
Hi friends
May i please know why we are using "HELLO" to begin a telephone conversation eventhough we have many other words to greet others.
I hope any of the experts can help me. Thanking you
WIth Regaards
Because people are free to choose which word they want to use to greet someone. Most don't want to be different from everyone else so they use "hello" because everyone else does.
What other words would you like to use and hear others use when they greet you?
[URL=http://]NPR Show Transcript about the use of "Hello" to Answer Telephone[/URL]
Quote:
SHOW: All Things Considered
DATE: March 19, 1999
LINDA WERTHEIMER, host:
Once the telephone was perfected, people had to learn to use it. There was a
very fundamental question to be answered, one that seems quite odd to us
today,
and that is: What do you say when you answer a ringing telephone?
<snip>
Professor ALLEN KOENIGSBERG: When Bell invented the phone, Alexander Graham
Bell, he didn't use `hello' at all. He used `ahoy.' He used it twice, `Ahoy.
Ahoy.' And apparently he was the only one that used it, because I've never
heard anybody to this day say, `Ahoy.' And Bell was not even in the Navy, so I
don't know why he insisted on using a call that way. But if you study the
origin of the word `hello,' which may come from `halloo,' is the call of a
ferry boat operator, and you call them over when you want a ferry boat to come
to your doorstep. And you say, `Halloo.' So the word may have come from
that.
Hello just began to be used all over the place, and by the 1880s, it was
fairly
popular.
It seems like one of those words that is around in the soundscape forever, but
most dictionaries said that it originated in the 1880s, but the telephone was
invented in the 1870s. So I wondered what was being said on the phone when
they were first hooked up. And my research led to the discovery of a document
at the AT&T archives in which Edison wrote in 1877 that he thought the word
`hello' should be used for opening a telephonic conversation.
(Excerpt from song)
Prof. KOENIGSBERG: It was kind of a riddle in a way, because when you hook up
a telephone and you are speaking basically to a stranger, it ran counter to
what people expected in their day-to-day meetings, which was their previous
experience. And you have to be properly introduced. And you're never
introduced on the telephone that way. So you have to find a word or a phrase
that very quickly cuts to the chase and allows people to start speaking, and
`hello' was pressed into service.
<snip>
And this website tells how people around the world answer the phone:
http://www.netjeff.com/humor/item.cgi?file=HelloOnTelephoneWorldwide
I would like us to say "testing", before we begin talking.
It'll probably be like this in the year 3000 or so.
Only Americans say "hello" on the phone.
Mexicans say "bueno" and Germans answer the phone with their
last name.
"If I don't recognize the number I usually answer "this is Nick". If it's someone important I simply answer "thrill me"
Butrflynet -- interesting. Thanks for posting that. I must admit I had thought that 'hello' was a standard greeting before the invention of the telephone. I guess not.
Hallo?
Is this subject finished?
Hallo?
You may hang up now, or press
0 to return to the main menu.
In all seriousness, I often pick up the phone and say "London Gas lighting and Coal Company, how may I help you?"
If they know me, they'll be aware that I'm quite ridiculous on occasions and start chatting.
If however, it's a sales call, they usually make their excuses and/or just hang up.
CalamityJane wrote:Only Americans say "hello" on the phone.
Mexicans say "bueno" and Germans answer the phone with their
last name.
Nonsense. In some parts of the country, it was long the custom to say, for example, "Jones residence," or to repeat one's phone number--so that someone would pick up the phone and say: "Klondike 5-7351." Even in my own brief lifetime, this has changed to the point at which people now say hello almost exclusively--and i suspect that is because mobile phones and cell phones aren't at anyone's residence, and it may not always be a good idea to repeat one's phone number.
Personally, i usually say: "Yellow."
Other ways i have answered the phone (habitually):
It's your nickel.
County morgue--you stab 'em, we slab 'em.
The word hallo is used in two ways. You would use it when meeting or being introduced to someone and in this form it is a greeting.
The other way is as a question "Hallo?" which is used when entering a house and to determine if there is anyone inside.
This is the form used when answering a phone, as until recently you would have no idea who was calling. When the telephone was first used I understand "Ahoy" was also used by some people and this was a shortened form of the traditional method of hailing a ship across water "Ahoy there?"
I think that as most people already were using the the normal/landlocked word it was a natural and obvious word to use.
Which brings me to the question why does hallo begin with the letter H.
If you accept that hallo? is also used to carry the voice all round a house or across a valley, down a mineshaft, the letter H is the easiest to begin a word and call out a long and loud sound. You just fill your lungs and shout. It doesn't matter what language you speak, the sound H is the best
way to get your lungs going full blast.
Try it.
Now try a different word beginning with another letter.
M, sound is muted. T, breath runs out. C, mouth is in the wrong shape to make a loud noise.
Note the the word "Help!", needed to attract attention also begins with H.
Anyway, that's what I think.
I would be interested in translations of the words hello and help in some other languages.
Caller ID and voicemail/answering devices have brought a whole new dimension to the business of answering the phone. If I recognize the caller, my greeting often will be something along the lines of a cheery "Hi,<name> - what's up?"
If I don't recognize a caller, or if its a caller I don't care to talk to, I just let it go straight to voicemail - if its worth it to the caller to leave a message, it may be worth it to me to respond to the message - when I get around to it.
Sometimes, if Caller ID is "Blocked" or "Unavailable" and I do decide to answer the call anyway, the greeting will be "Identify yourself and state the purpose of your call."
I don't do telephones, but I always insisted that staff answer the phones with:
"Good day, [organization name]; [their name] speaking ... how may we help you today?
A friendly greeting followed by confirmation of who they've reached, followed by a personal name to comfort and personalize the conversation. A brief pause to give the caller an opportunity to state their purpose, followed by an offer to help. Who doesn't need help? The word "today" lends immediacy to the communication, and helps focus the message. I always wanted every call logged, and occasionally would review the logs to make sure that nothing slipped past my gatekeepers.
I remember a time when a bunch of us teenaged boy's were sitting around a friends bedroom talking about what teenage boys talk about. There was a knock at the door, and since we expected to be joined by a friend, someone called out "Grease your ass and slide on in!" The door swung open and instead of cold soda pop, our friend's Mother showed us the back door. The lesson was always know you you are talking with, and be careful not to offend until it is necessary.
On the other hand some of you will remember the quaintly polite way that our drill instructors would invite us to rise and attend breakfast. Oh well ...
I use "hello" as a general greeting myself, but in Lord Ellpus fashion have been known to say:
When in college with roommates: "JC Penney, luggage department. Which bag would you like to speak to?"
and my hubby's favorite: "Yankee Stadium, second base."
I can't claim credit for this one - I heard it somewhere a long time ago (in fact I kinda think it was a college kid) - its sick, but silly-funny sick:
"Thank you for calling the Suicide Prevention Hotline. Due to high call volume, all of our counselors currently are on other calls. Your call is very important to us and will be answered in the order it was received. Please stay on the line for the next available counselor. Do not hang up and redial, as doing so will only further delay attention to your concerns. This message will not repeat."
Sherwood Forest. Little John speaking.
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