How Did People Say Hello Before Hello? 5 Surprising Facts About Greetings in History

Hello is one of the most common words in the English language. We use it every day to greet each other, to start a conversation, to answer the phone, and to express surprise. But have you ever wondered how people said hello before hello? How did greetings evolve over time and across cultures? In this blog post, we will explore the origin and history of hello and some other fascinating facts about greetings in history.

1. Hello is a relatively new word

Despite its popularity, hello has only been in use for about the last 150 years. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first published use of hello goes back only to 1827. And it wasn’t mainly a greeting back then. People used it to attract attention (“Hello, what do you think you’re doing?”), or to express surprise (“Hello, what have we here?”). Hello didn’t become “hi” until the telephone arrived.

2. The first phone greeting was ahoy

The dictionary says it was Thomas Edison who put hello into common usage. He urged the people who used his phone to say “hello” when answering. His rival, Alexander Graham Bell, thought the better word was “ahoy”. Ahoy had been around longer — at least 100 years longer — than hello. It was a greeting, albeit a nautical one, derived from the Dutch “hoi”, meaning “hello”. Bell felt so strongly about ahoy he used it for the rest of his life. And so, by the way, does the entirely fictional “Monty” Burns, evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant on The Simpsons.

3. Howdy is a contraction of how do you do

Howdy is another popular American greeting that dates back to the 19th century. It is a contraction of how do you do, which was a formal way of asking after someone’s health or well-being. How do you do itself is a shortened version of how do ye, which was used as early as the 1560s³. Nowadays, howdy is mostly associated with the Southern and Western states of the US, especially Texas.

4. Hail comes from the Middle Ages

An older term used for greeting or salutation is hail, which dates back to the Middle Ages but was still in use in Shakespeare’s time; he used it both as a greeting (“Hail to your grace“) and as an acclamation (“Hail, Caesar!”). Hail comes from the Old English word hæl, meaning “health” or “welfare”. It is also related to the word “hale”, meaning “healthy” or “whole”.

5. Greetings vary across languages and cultures

Different languages and cultures have different ways of greeting each other, depending on the context, the relationship, and the level of formality. For example, in French, you can say bonjour (good day), salut (hi), or coucou (peek-a-boo) to greet someone. In Japanese, you can say konnichiwa (hello), ohayou gozaimasu (good morning), or yoroshiku onegaishimasu (please treat me well) to greet someone. In Arabic, you can say assalamu alaikum (peace be upon you), marhaba (hello), or ahlan wa sahlan (welcome) to greet someone. And in Zulu, you can say sawubona (I see you), sanibonani (we see you), or unjani (how are you) to greet someone.

Conclusion

Greetings are an important part of communication and social interaction. They convey respect, interest, and goodwill. They also reflect the history and culture of the people who use them. Next time you say hello to someone, think about how this simple word has a complex and fascinating origin. And maybe try a different greeting once in a while, just for fun.

What do you think about greetings in history? Do you know any other interesting facts or stories about greetings? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more amazing content like this. That is all!