# Answering the phone

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 14, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292 "2002-03-14T16:53:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292/1 "2002-03-14T16:53:24Z")

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I’m researching a little bit about a possible article regarding the development of the word "hello"in the English language. Basically, I’m trying to dispel a rumor here in Hungary that "hello"comes from the Hungarian word "hallom,"meaning “I hear you.” That part is relatively easy, as although the first print reference of "hello"is in 1883, after the Hungarian claim of Tivadar Puskas coining the word in 1877, the word derives from "hallo"first printed in 1840, and ultimately from "holla"in the 16th century.

That aside, I’m looking for two things. What other greetings are used around the world to answer the phone? For example, in Poland, one can say “slucham,” which sounds rather abrupt in translation, meaning “I’m listening.”

Secondly, what competition did "hello"have in its day. I know that Bell endorsed “Ahoy!” (Avid Simpsons viewers will note that Mr. Burns answers the phone in the manner.) What other suggestions were there at the time?

Thanks,  
Pete

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**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292/2 "2002-03-14T16:58:01Z")

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Not that I’m fluent in Spanish, but I know that in Mexico, the proper way to answer the phone is to say – “Bueno.”

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292/3 "2002-03-14T17:14:27Z")

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The English, French, German and Spanish versions all seem to be related. In Spanish “HOLA” is used as a greeting, much like hello in English, but it dates back to the 16th century and was used more as a call to get someone’s attention. The dictionary says it was of “expressive creation”, which pretty much means it has no etymology which goes further back.

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**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292/4 "2002-03-14T18:40:31Z")

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[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=83817](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=83817)

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/answering-the-phone/98292/5 "2002-03-15T14:10:06Z")

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femto - well, shucks, that does about cover it. Thanks!