# What is the meaning of "Hello" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294 "2003-05-01T02:59:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/21 "2003-05-02T04:56:22Z")
Yo! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/22 "2003-05-02T05:31:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enola Straight \* > \*\*Yo! \*\* But were there really that many Adrians running around back then? The šŸ˜ƒ says `Oi!ā€™ ---
**Author:** ![futureman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3da27b/32.png) [@futureman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/futureman)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/23 "2003-05-02T06:34:13Z")
Spaniards use Dime or digame: Literally: Tell me or talk to me! familiar is Dime and formal is digame ---
**Author:** ![Masuro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Masuro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Masuro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/24 "2003-05-02T15:29:28Z")
In Korean the greeting is Annyong haseyo which literally means, ā€œAre you at peace?ā€ In Korean, ā€˜good-byeā€™ is either ā€œGo in Peaceā€ or ā€œStay in Peaceā€ depending on the person speaking. Another common greeting around meal time is ā€œHave you eaten?ā€ and no doubt originated from the time Korea was dirt poor and having a meal wasnā€™t a given. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/25 "2003-05-02T15:37:46Z")
I learned yesterday that ā€˜helloā€™ was coined to be a class-neutral greeting specifically for use on the phone. In the 1890s it was customary to use different forms of address depending on the class of the person you were addressing. When speaking to someone on the phone in 1889 it was not possible to judge oneā€™s class in relation to the person on the other side of the line. So hello was coined Source:Teaching Company, History of the English Language, Seth Lerer, Stanford University [http://www.teach12.com/ttc/assets/coursedescriptions/800.asp](http://www.teach12.com/ttc/assets/coursedescriptions/800.asp) ---
**Author:** ![tonbo0422](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@tonbo0422](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonbo0422)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/26 "2003-05-02T18:05:14Z")
Probably the rudest greeting on the phone belongs to the French: ā€œQui est Ć  lā€™appareil?ā€ ā€œWhoā€™s on the phone?ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Richard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Richard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/27 "2003-05-02T18:07:46Z")
In Holland, Mr. Smith would answer the phone by ā€œmet Smithā€ (with Smith). ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/28 "2003-05-03T10:46:05Z")
In Mexico, they answer the phone with ā€œBueno!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/29 "2003-05-03T11:45:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I learned yesterday that ā€˜helloā€™ was coined to be a class-neutral greeting specifically for use on the phone. In the 1890s it was customary to use different forms of address depending on the class of the person you were addressing. When speaking to someone on the phone in 1889 it was not possible to judge oneā€™s class in relation to the person on the other side of the line. So hello was coined Actually, the specific spelling of ā€œhelloā€ is from 1883. It was so common by 1889, that Mark Twain, writing in _Conn. Yankee etc_ says ā€œThe humblest hello-girlā€¦could teachā€¦manners; to the highest duchess in Arthurā€™s land.ā€ Hard to believe that it was coined for the reason given in that source above. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/30 "2003-05-03T12:12:18Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Derleth_ > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Enola Straight \* > > **Yo!** > > **But were there really that many Adrians running around back then?** I may get pummelled for quoting from _Tiny Tune Adventures_, but: **Yo! Hadrian!** šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/31 "2003-05-03T12:13:27Z")
Ack! _Tiny TOON Adventures_, of courseā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![phraser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@phraser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phraser)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/32 "2003-05-03T12:13:52Z")
At school we were taught that in German one should answer the phone ā€œhier \ā€, which is basically equivalent to ā€œ\ here.ā€ Personally, when answering the phone I just pick it up and wait for the other person to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/33 "2003-05-03T12:58:33Z")
Alrite Geezer, thats from my town šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/34 "2003-05-03T15:11:31Z")
In Canada, we often answer the phone by howling like a wolf. ---
**Author:** ![Coffeeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Coffeeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffeeguy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/35 "2003-05-03T16:24:47Z")
So, how did people answer the phone in Shakespeareā€™s time? ā€“CoffeeGuy? ---
**Author:** ![a\_gherkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@a\_gherkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a_gherkin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/36 "2003-05-03T18:26:34Z")
lol coffee that made me chuckle šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/37 "2003-05-03T20:00:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coffeeguy \* > \*\*So, how did people answer the phone in Shakespeareā€™s time? > > ā€“CoffeeGuy? \*\* Oā€™ Ye on thou Telethphone, whoeth art thou? ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/38 "2003-05-03T20:16:59Z")
From samclem: > [@](#): > > Actually, the specific spelling of ā€œhelloā€ is from 1883. It was so common by 1889, that Mark Twain, writing in Conn. Yankee etc says ā€œThe humblest hello-girlā€¦could teachā€¦manners; to the highest duchess in Arthurā€™s land.ā€ Hard to believe that it was coined for the reason given in that source above. This quote from Mark Twain on ā€˜Hello girlsā€™ was also in the tape I was listening to. Hello girls were the central operators who connected parties on the phone. Also known as ā€˜Centralā€™. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/39 "2003-05-03T20:47:01Z")
Hello. Hello. Hello. What a wonderful word. Hello. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294/40 "2003-05-03T21:38:39Z")
10 PRINT ā€œHELLOā€ 20 GOTO 10 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-meaning-of-hello/172294.md?page=3)