I remembered a Mark Twain short story in which he imagines a crow or magpie happening on something interesting and saying, “Hello, what’s this?” — but the article touches on that with the British “hullo.” It does seem that Edison perhaps unconsciously combined the two into the modern word.
It’s a good thing too — I can’t imagine “You had me at Halloo!”
…by “the two” I mean “hullo” and “halloo”…
Unfortunately for the Times, Edison was born in 1847, and the word “hello” appears in a biography of Col. David Crockett published in 1833.
It’s a pity newspapers don’t have a way to check these things. Perhaps some sort of electronic search engine.
How used? (Extra words added to satisfy comment filter.)
I kind of like “Ahoy!”. I think I will start using that to answer the phone. especially on national Talk-like-a-Pirate Day.
Clark,
just “Ahoy”, most days. But on Talk Like a Pirate Day, “Ahoy and ARRRRGGh Matey!”
My son and his wife are BIG into all things Japanese. He was stationed over there for 3 years. They answer their phones a lot of times with , “…moshi moshi”.
My grandfather hated talking on the phone at home. He was a plant superintendent and spent much of each work day on the phone. So when he was at home he’d answer the phone with a strong, “…WHAT?”
I remembered a Mark Twain short story in which he imagines a crow or magpie happening on something interesting and saying, “Hello, what’s this?” — but the article touches on that with the British “hullo.” It does seem that Edison perhaps unconsciously combined the two into the modern word.
It’s a good thing too — I can’t imagine “You had me at Halloo!”
…by “the two” I mean “hullo” and “halloo”…
Unfortunately for the Times, Edison was born in 1847, and the word “hello” appears in a biography of Col. David Crockett published in 1833.
It’s a pity newspapers don’t have a way to check these things. Perhaps some sort of electronic search engine.
How used? (Extra words added to satisfy comment filter.)
I kind of like “Ahoy!”. I think I will start using that to answer the phone. especially on national Talk-like-a-Pirate Day.
Clark,
just “Ahoy”, most days. But on Talk Like a Pirate Day, “Ahoy and ARRRRGGh Matey!”
My son and his wife are BIG into all things Japanese. He was stationed over there for 3 years. They answer their phones a lot of times with , “…moshi moshi”.
My grandfather hated talking on the phone at home. He was a plant superintendent and spent much of each work day on the phone. So when he was at home he’d answer the phone with a strong, “…WHAT?”
It used to hack off my grandmother to no end.
Was your grandfather a Klingon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ZfAltl83U
Was he using a cell phone? I think “What” must be the most phrase used on cell phones.
I got dibs on “Hey ya!”
Meh, it wouldn’t surprise me if Edison stole that one from Tesla as well…
How did trollops greet sailors before the invention of “hello?” “Good morrow, sailor?”