# Who is this? Who is that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 27, 2001, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602 "2001-11-27T22:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/1 "2001-11-27T22:41:13Z")
I feel mildly irritated when a telephone caller asks me, “Who is this?” when he is asking me my name. I’m tempted to reply, “Sorry, I haven’t a clue. Who are you?” Anyone else got views on this? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/2 "2001-11-27T22:49:17Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if this post gets moved to another part of the SDMB, but before it does, I will add my $.02: I agree - if someone calls me and asks who I am before identifying themselves, I typically respond with “Who is calling please?” with a slightly curt tone - you have re-establish the upper hand, y’know? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/3 "2001-11-27T23:16:18Z")
I think the OP was distinguishing between “Who is _this_” and “Who is _that_.” The former is how an American will usually ask the question; the latter is chiefly British. Or so my reading of British novels and viewing of British films leads me to believe . . . ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/4 "2001-11-27T23:23:08Z")
Just hang up! If they do it again, repeat… ---
**Author:** ![bibliophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bibliophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophile)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/5 "2001-11-27T23:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Violet \* > \*\*Just hang up! If they do it again, repeat… \*\* exactly my philosphy. it drives me insane when the person on the other end of the extension says who’s this right after i say hello. i used to be polite about it. no more. now my answer is a snippy, “who’s this, you called me remember.” it may be bitchy, but these people have to learn some manners ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/6 "2001-11-27T23:46:10Z")
Off to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2001, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/7 "2001-11-27T23:54:17Z")
Well, if I know the voice on the other end, then I find it alright (as in they are assuming that I know them, e.g. Grandma). I just tell them who it is (My sisters and I have pretty much the same voice, so it is definately possible for me to know who you are, and you to not know who I am.) If it isn’t someone I know I usually say, “Who wants to know?” This doesn’t happen much though. ---
**Author:** ![LilCutie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@LilCutie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilCutie)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/8 "2001-11-28T00:40:14Z")
I usually get a lot of calls on my cell phone from numbers I don’t recognize. And since I also hate for people to rudely call me and ask who I am, I usually call and say, “Hello, this is Jenny, someone called my cell phone from this number, and I’m calling to find out who that person was.” That usually works. It really sucks though when it’s just a wrong number call, and the other people get all rude with me. 🙂 Jenny\* ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-who-is-that/95602/9 "2001-11-28T04:36:20Z")
I am constantly amazed that people a) don’t identify themselves when they call. It’s good phone etiquette to identify yourself. b) demand to know who they are speaking to. I say, “Actually, that’s my line. Who am I speaking to?” Someone called up and asked for me. I said, “Who is calling?” She said, “He wouldn’t recognize my name.” I said, “Then why would he want to speak to you?” Shook her up a bit.