Ahoy Matey

gunny · Post by **gunny** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:06 am

Alexander Graham Bell was asked how to repond when answering his new telephone. He suggested "AHOY". No one knows how "hello" came about.

Forum Monk · Post by **Forum Monk** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:39 am

In Italy, people greet one another with ciao or bon giorno, etc. but when they answer the phone, they say "pronto"; which means "ready".

In english, hello is a standard greeting - is it not?

Post by **Minimalist** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:57 am

I understood that the Brits answer the phone with "Are you there?"

Brits?

Perhaps "are you there" dates back to a time when phone service was spotty. A condition which the cell phone industry has now re-invigorated.

rich · Post by **rich** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:17 am

Nah, Min. Today it's "can you hear me now?"

spacecase0 · Post by **spacecase0** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:24 pm

rich wrote:Nah, Min. Today it's "can you hear me now?"

it takes to long to say, but I do see people use it on TV,

all of my friends use "Are you there?" followed by "can you hear me" if you do not reply.

Digit · Post by **Digit** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:10 pm

Hello is a corruption of Halloo, much used many years ago to urge Fox hounds on the chase and to catch a person's attention.
I answer with hello.