Origin of Saying Hello: If you call someone or pick up the phone, what do you say first? Most people’s answer would be hello. While talking to anyone, people first use the word hello. But have you ever wondered why it is so (origin of hello). Why is hello spoken first on the phone and not any other word?
Origin of Saying Hello: Why ‘Hello’ on the Phone?
- The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell
- The first thing we say when we pick up the phone is hello.
- There is a famous story behind saying hello related to Graham Bell’s girlfriend
Phone has now become an important part of our life. We depend on the phone to talk to each other. Now if you have noticed, no matter who you talk to, the first word (first telephone greeting) that comes out of your mouth is ‘Hello’.Not only the person calling, but the person picking up the phone also says ‘hello’ first. Origin of Saying Hello But have you ever wondered why this happens (why do we say hello on phone)? Why is the word “hello” used (hello word origin) to start a conversation on the phone? There is an interesting story behind this. Let’s find out.
Graham Bell’s Girlfriend ‘Hello’
Maybe you have also heard the story that the name of the girlfriend of the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was ‘Margaret Hello’. He used his girlfriend’s name while talking on the phone and since then the first thing people do is to say hello on the phone and start talking.
But let us tell you that there is no concrete evidence of this story. Actually, Graham Bell’s girlfriend’s name was Mabel Howard, whom he later married.
use of the word ‘ahoy’
The word hello originated in the 19th century. Before this, the word Ahoy was used to talk on the phone. Graham Bell was the first to say Ahoy, not Hello. Before “Hello”, people used different words to talk on the phone, such as “Ahoy” or “Do you hear me?” This proves the girlfriend story to be false.
Edison started ‘Hello’
Now the question arises that if the story of Graham Bell’s girlfriend is not true, then why is hello spoken first on the phone. In 1877, Thomas Edison, the inventor of the bulb, suggested using the word “Hello” to start a conversation on the phone. Edison believed that this word is clear and easy to hear. Gradually it became popular and today “Hello” is used to start a conversation on the phone all over the world.So now you know why the first thing we say as soon as we pick up the phone is hello. By the way, we also use the word hello for greeting when we meet someone face to face.
(Disclaimer: The information given here is based on general information. Before adopting it, definitely take medical advice. THE MONK does not confirm this.)
