The Untold Story of ‘Hello’: How a Simple Greeting Became the Global Phone Call Standard

The ubiquitous telephone greeting ‘hello’ has an intriguing history rooted in technological innovation and societal norms. Before it became the standard, several alternatives competed for the role of answering calls. The story begins in the late 1800s with the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, who initially suggested "Ahoy" as a greeting. However, Thomas Edison advocated for ‘hello’ as the preferred salutation, seeing it as more practical and distinct.

 

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From early experimentation to universal norm, ‘hello’ exemplifies how language adapts to technology-driven societal shifts.

 

Sources: Linguistics journals, communication history books, tech archives