# Invention of the telephone **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2025, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525 "2025-03-13T13:03:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/141 "2025-03-19T08:54:15Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m not arguing in favour of the overland supersonic ban At the very beginning, I said the ban on supersonic flight is dumb and that the law should instead have been based on acceptable noise levels. You clearly stated “I vehemently disagree”, which I can only interpret as you saying that the ban was reasonable in the first place. You went on to argue against supersonic flight in general, saying no one “needs” to fly faster than sound and generally threw cold water on further development. If I have completely misread your argument and you are not actually against the ban, then so be it, but my position hasn’t changed, either about this particular issue or about how regulations work in general–and I hope that **LSLGuy** ’s sense that the FAA is slowly moving away from mandating processes and toward outcome-based regulation is accurate. It’s not just supersonic flight but autonomous air taxis and electric planes and other things as well. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/142 "2025-03-19T11:10:08Z")
Regarding Alexander Graham Bell and the telephone, I’m saddened that his suggested greeting—“Ahoy!”—never caught on. Instead, we got Edison’s “Hello,” which stuck like velcro. I mean, “Ahoy!” just sounds so much more chipper and swashbuckling than the polite-but-lackluster “Hello.” _Ahoy, matey! How about we rendezvous at the galley for a bottle of grog?_ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/143 "2025-03-19T13:07:36Z")
Of course if we’d all been answering the phone with “Ahoy” for the last ~100 years it would be a pretty mundane tired word by now, whereas the esoteric archaic “Hello” would be wild and dramatic. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/144 "2025-03-19T13:16:55Z")
Perhaps it should be mandated that we change the greeting every 10 years to keep things fresh and prevent linguistic stagnation. Next up: “Yo,” followed by “Hey there,” then “Beep boop” (in preparation for our inevitable AI overlords). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/145 "2025-03-19T13:30:46Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I am as guilty as anyone here, but I now wonder what all this has to do with the invention of telephones. Alexander Graham Bell was an early experimenter in manned flight. He was testing large tetrahedral box kites and other designs. He came nowhere near the Wright Bros. effort with his kites but was one of many inventors looking for a solution. I assume the precise reason this thread started was to meander through a list of inventors less well known for their important discoveries followed by a discussion of sonic booms and finally tie Bell back into the equation with a mention of his failure to succeed or gain notoriety in the field of aviation. Or maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/146 "2025-03-19T14:32:33Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > I’m saddened that his suggested greeting—“Ahoy!”—never caught on. Instead, we got Edison’s “Hello,” In Italian, they say “Pronto!” which translates to “Ready!” Don’t know who originated that. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/147 "2025-03-19T14:35:14Z")
In Japanese, they say “moshi moshi” > [@](#): > > ## Origins of “Moshi Moshi” in Japanese > > The origins of **“moshi moshi”** are deeply rooted in Japanese history and language. The phrase derives from the verb **“mōsu”** an honorific alternative to **“say”** or **“speak”** used historically in polite conversation. The repetition of “moshi” in “moshi moshi” is not just a stylistic choice; it serves a practical function. Originally, this repetition helped to ensure that the telephone connection was clear, a necessary check when telephone technology was still in its infancy in Japan. > > * * * > > ## Pronunciation and use of “Moshi Moshi” in Japanese > > Pronouncing **“moshi moshi”** correctly involves emphasizing each syllable equally: mo-shi mo-shi. It is crucial not only to articulate clearly but also to maintain the melodic intonation typical of Japanese phrases, which often plays a role in polite speech. > **[What does ‘Moshi Moshi’ really mean in Japanese?](https://mochidemy.com/support/moshi-moshi-in-japanese/)** > > The phrase moshi moshi meaning in Japanese is synonymous with telephone conversations, but its use extends beyond just a simple hello. > [@](#): > > _Moshi moshi,_ or もしもし, is a common Japanese phrase that Japanese people use when picking up the phone. It’s a casual greeting used for friends and family, like a “hello”, but in fact means something entirely different! In English, it literally means something more like, “to say to say”, or “I speak I speak”. > > But a more apt translation would be something like, “I’m going to talk”. > > But remember this: it’s considered casual speech, even though it comes from a polite word – so don’t use it if your boss is calling you! > > ## The history behind _moshi moshi,_ according to our resident Japanese expert > > “There are several theories about the origin of the expression _moshi moshi_ (もしもし), but it seems to be related to the humble verb _mousu_ (申す/もうす), which means “to say”, and the arrival of telecommunications to Japan in 1890. > > The story has it, the first telephone operators in Japan were men who used less polite speech to get the attention of the person on the phone. But, when the job was taken over by female operators, they started using the more humble, polite expression _moushimasu_ (申します/もうします). _Moushimasu_ means “to say” in Japanese polite speech and was used to communicate with callers who were in a more privileged position. Due to the poor quality of sound, it became custom to repeat the phrase – and thus, _moshi moshi_ was born. > > Nowadays, Japanese people frequently use this expression at the beginning of their phone calls, without thinking about the phrase’s origin.” > **[Why Moshi Moshi Doesn't Actually Mean Hello - Busuu Blog](https://blog.busuu.com/moshi-moshi/)** > > Learn origins and meaning of the popular Japanese phrase moshi moshi. Find out when to use it, when not to & who (or what) can never use it. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/148 "2025-03-19T14:35:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Humanity has lived with rampant cholera and dysentery for far more millennia than it has not. _Humanity_ might not _need_ sanitation, but I’m pretty sure people do. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/149 "2025-03-19T14:45:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > In Japanese, they say “moshi moshi” Recently, the majority of calls are made via LINE, a social media platform, and that usage no longer is widely used. Instead, the caller usually say the person’s name. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/150 "2025-03-19T14:53:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Alexander Graham Bell was an early experimenter in manned flight. He was testing large tetrahedral box kites and other designs One of his designs for an aircraft is featured in the book The World’s Worst Aircraft. My copy is packed away. From memory ‘After the success of the Wright Brothers, every inventor tried their hand at an aircraft. Bell used his tetrahedral box kite design. The result was a plane with a built in headwind’ The book goes on to explain what other flaws his design had, ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/151 "2025-03-19T16:37:32Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > No one today would suggest that air travel was a bad idea (although it has indeed been quite properly suggested that private jets have a hugely disproportionate environmental impact). > [@wolfpup](#): > > The problem with supersonic air travel is that it has even worse environmental impacts with fewer incremental benefits. The only possible environmental benefit is if it (1) reduces the number of private jet flights while (2) having less environmental impact per seat-mile. Of course what we’ll likely end up with is supersonic private jets… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/152 "2025-03-19T16:41:53Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Recently, the majority of calls are made via LINE, a social media platform, and that usage no longer is widely used. Instead, the caller usually say the person’s name. Interesting. This is the first I’ve heard of this. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/153 "2025-03-19T17:09:30Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > reduces the number of private jet flights My understanding of the economics of private jets is that the main benefit is schedule flexibility, not airspeed. I.e. a plane that I can hop right on to take to my event and that will wait for me if my event runs late to take me to my next one. It’s a rare commercial flight where the additional airspeed would compensate for having to go through security and leave on the airline’s schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/154 "2025-03-19T17:33:06Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > My understanding of the economics of private jets is that the main benefit is schedule flexibility, not airspeed. That’s true in many cases, but there is also a certain amount of flying private as status or not having to hobnob with the hoi polloi. My recollection of Concorde was that many passengers took it for similar reasons, not because business required them to be in London two hours faster. I can’t see supersonic flight being anything other than Concorde-style ultra first class in my lifetime; if it does I fear the environmental impact would be far worse than current flying. Of course, I have not seen any projection of environmental impacts (specifically fuel efficiency) other than noise. Maybe supersonic flight at extreme altitude is actually more efficient than conventional flight at 35000 feet? (Note: my gut says that is unlikely.) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/155 "2025-03-19T17:49:46Z")
I hear that’s called the “weave.” ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/156 "2025-03-19T18:08:51Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I assume the precise reason this thread started was to meander through a list of inventors less well known for their important discoveries followed by a discussion of sonic booms and finally tie Bell back into the equation 😂 Well, not necessarily what I had in mind, but that’s what makes it so much more interesting to ask questions here than to just pull up ChatGPT. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/157 "2025-03-19T19:41:48Z")
Bell might not have invented the first telephone but what about the invention of cheap shitty tacos? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/158 "2025-03-19T20:10:06Z")
Those were invented by his wayward great-great-great grandson “Taco.” ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/159 "2025-03-26T13:21:57Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Alexander Graham Bell was an early experimenter in manned flight. He was testing large tetrahedral box kites and other designs. One way Bell tested aircraft engines was by attaching them to boats which led to him to build _The Ugly Duckling_ in 1905 which is credited as the first airboat. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airboat#History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airboat#History) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525/160 "2025-03-26T14:05:25Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > _Humanity_ might not _need_ sanitation, but I’m pretty sure people do. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ba/a7/fa/baa7fa630db4e06d20dd345d7f963b8b.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ba/a7/fa/baa7fa630db4e06d20dd345d7f963b8b.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invention-of-the-telephone/1015525.md?page=9)