Lifestyle

Hello I Can’t Hear You

By Adetutu Adetule 

Why is Hello called Hello...

You dialled a number, and then a voice quipped ‘Hello’ at the other end. Then the conversation continues.

Have you ever asked yourself how hello sprung into being in social interaction? 

 Hello has been used as an English greeting since the 19th century.  It is related to the older French exclamation “Holà” — which means essentially “Ho there!” — like you might say to a horse to tell it to stop.

Before hello gained prominence, the common form of greeting was a good day.

Besides its use as an interjection in greeting, it is a convenient form of attracting or awakening listeners or audience attention.

It is also used to sound out the presence of someone in a place, a house: “Hello, anyone out there? 

There is an acronym side to hello. It stands for: H- higher; E- education; L- life; L – long; O- opportunity.

Hello everybody,” is the best bet in a formal setting. “Hi everyone,” is a little more casual and completely acceptable. “Hey all,” is very casual: context dictates the appropriacy of use.

What a simple gesture hello is, but saying “hello” to someone just might make their day. You never know what people are going through behind their smiles, frowns, or distant gazes. A short greeting and smile could be just the acknowledgement, encouragement or positivity they need.

Thomas Edison claimed to have initiated the use of hello upon receiving a phone call—which required people to address an unseen and unknown person.

It was simpler and more efficient than some other greetings used in the early days of the telephone, such as “Do I get you?” and “Are you there?”

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