Why do we say "bye bye" but not "hi hi"?

Answer 1

I never say "bye bye" because it sounds so juvenile and babied. I usually say "hey there" or "hey" casually or "Hi". When leaving I just simply say "bye" or "have a good evening" or "see ya" I think some people get the bye bye thing from their parents doing baby talk to them when they were little and they just never could kick the habit of saying it.

Answer 2

Well I think Buddy Holly ingrained Bye Bye into me with that song of his "Bye Bye Love, Bye Bye Happiness... Hello Loneliness I think im gonna cry..." Perhaps if the Big Bopper sang "Hi Hi Baaaby" instead of "Heeeellllllllooooo Baby" In that chantilly lace song hi may have been different too.

but that isn't what you asked i think actually bye bye takes the sad finality out of it. One loooong Byyyyye sounds final like you will never see the person again but two short ones Bye Bye sounds playful and temporary....just a theory.

As far as hi's the closest to hi hi that I know of is Kermit the Frog as he populated the phrase "Hi Ho" ..."Hi Ho Kermit the Frog here." but of course the 7 Dwarves sang it long before "Hi Ho Hi Ho It's off to work we go"

Going back to my 2nd paragraph theory you don't want hi's to be temporary you want to stay and chat for a while. Well if you are still reading this exhaustively long novel of an answer I shall relieve you as I am about to end so I will say good bye....*sniff sniff*(I can see the Von Trapp family in Sound of Music singing as I write this "Goodbye Fairwell..." falling asleep on the stairs...sniff*) Ok this is why I must say the other instead bye bye

Answer 3

Bye Bye is derived from the term, of course, Goodbye which origionally came from the farwell biddence in the English language and was shortened from "God be with ye." It went to Goodbye and then with the use of motherese we have taught our children to say Bye Bye. (I'd have wonder at a full grown person not a mother who said bye! bye! to me its baby talk) Hello has a simular beginning and is shortened to Hi. In European history people lived behind walled establishments often built into the hillsides or mountains and the terms "Hail, thou" was used to call attention to the people above to open a gate or whatever while the people below were refered to as "Hail, lo.." This was the call to acknowledge each other..I hope this helps a little. Love in Christ, ~J~ <><

Answer 4

there is a late night Chinese restaurant near here called the Double Greeting Noodle House. When I asked the owners what a double greeting was they said HI, HI. (one right after the other and real quick). I was blank for at least thirty seconds then I started laughing. Every time I say Hi to someone and they say Hi back I am reminded of the best Chinese food in the city.

Answer 5

I don't know--because separating is normally weirder than meeting? It's easy to get into something--i.e., say hi. It's harder to extricate oneself from something. "Bye bye" kind of seals the deal. Like, "Shut up already, I'm hanging up," or, "Cripes, I feel awkward saying goodbye, so I'll make myself sound like I'm talking to a baby."

Who knows? It's just the way things are. Language is a mysterious little organism.

Answer 6

It started when you were a baby and your parents wanted you to wave bye bye.

Answer 7

because we're all used to saying "bye bye" and it makes it sound better than "hi hi"

Answer 8

i just say bye

Answer 9

People usually say bye - bye I guess.That is kinda strange huh?lol
:-)

Answer 10

cause its harder to say good byes i recon, when you first meet someone you have got stuff to talk about and hugs and stuff!