The Unexpected Story of 'Hello': Some people thought that 'Hello' was the girlfriend of Alexander Graham Bell.
The Unexpected Story of How 'Hello' Became the Most Widely Used Telephone Greeting ?
When anyone calls us at first we say “hello!!” But what is Hello? Is there any person behind the word? Some people thought that hello was the girlfriend of famous scientist and the inventor of telephone Alexander Graham Bell. But really it is? Mabel Hubbard was Bell's girlfriend who he later married in 1877. The telephone was patented in 1876.Alexander Graham Bell actually never used the term "hello" . The first call he made was to his assistant who was in the adjoining room and he said "Come-here. I want to see you.
Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone in 1876, but it wasn't until several years later that the issue of telephone etiquette arose. In the early days of the telephone, there was no established greeting, and people would answer the phone with a variety of phrases, such as "ahoy" or "what is wanted?"
As telephone usage became more widespread, there was a growing need for a standardized greeting. In 1877, Thomas Edison suggested that the greeting should be "hello," as it was a common greeting used in everyday conversation. However, not everyone was on board with this idea.
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“Friend David, I do not think we shall need a call bell as Hello! can be heard 10 to 20 feet away. What you think?” |
Some people felt that "hello" was too informal and not appropriate for business calls. Others argued that "ahoy" or "oyez" (a legal term meaning "hear ye") were more appropriate. Despite the debate, "hello" eventually became the standard greeting for answering a telephone call.
The widespread adoption of "hello" as a telephone greeting can be attributed to several factors. First, it was a simple and easy-to-remember greeting that could be used by anyone. Second, it was a neutral greeting that did not carry any connotations or assumptions about the caller. Finally, it was a friendly and welcoming greeting that helped to establish a positive tone for the conversation.
But what about the unexpected part of the story? Well, it turns out that "hello" was not originally intended to be a greeting at all. In fact, when Edison suggested the word, he was not thinking of it as a greeting, but rather as a way to get someone's attention.
In a letter to the editor of the New York Times in 1877, Edison wrote, "Friend David Munson... came into the office while I was at the telegraph instrument... The following conversation ensued: 'Hulloa! hulloa! hulloa! What's the matter? Who is that?'... I suggested that we ring up the central office and ascertain what was wanted... 'That was the way they did it at the Boston exchange,' said Mr. Munson, and 'they rung up "Hello! hello! hello!" until somebody answered.'"
So, the word "hello" was actually used as a way to get someone's attention, rather than as a greeting. However, it quickly became associated with answering the telephone, and the rest is history.
Today, "hello" is the universally accepted greeting for answering a telephone call, and it is hard to imagine using anything else. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 77% of Americans own a smartphone and use it to make and receive phone calls on a regular basis.
In conclusion, the unexpected story of how "hello" became the most widely used telephone greeting is a fascinating tale of telephone history. From its origins as a way to get someone's attention to its widespread adoption as a friendly and welcoming greeting, "hello" has become an integral part of our communication technology and etiquette.
