Why do we say "hello"?

Question

For example, I can see why we would say "Good day" or "greetings," because those make sense, but why "hello"? Is it because of the derivation?

Insight please.

READ THE DETAILS PEOPLE, YOU ARE COMPLETELY MISSING THE POINT!

Answer 1

An interesting question, so I had to go look it up.

According to wikipedia, a theory is that 'hello' is a contraction of 'whole be thou' or 'hail thou'; and it some think that means it predates the use of the telephone.

Curiously, it could just have been mutated into a greeting, from a previous 'Hullo' - to exclaim surprise - which is one of the definitions in the Merriam-Webster...

Interestingly I find this particularly acceptable - in that it's a enquiry into someone's health:

from wiki:
Related to health

The origin of hello could be related to "health", as the most common greetings in many languages originate from the word "health" such as, in French "salutaire" meaning "healthy", in Russian "zdorovye" meaning "health" and in Mandarin Chinese "Ni hao ma?" meaning "are you well?".

Although it's probably a bit of a stretch, I think the usage of 'Hello' from various sources indicate either Biblical times or around the late 19th century as regards to health enquiry to be appealing as it probably mirrors the concerns of the time.

While in Mandarin, people do ask 'ni hao ma', they also like to ask (Chinese people that is) 'ni che bao ma', 'have you eaten (enough, or eaten till one is full)?' in a throwback reference to the prevailing problem of the ages of whether one had enough to eat in the first place.

Thanks for asking this interesting question!

Answer 2

1.hello at first place is an inquiry or like yes please in long distance conversation like in a phone.
2.hello is also used when people meet for the first time along with a hi .
3.hello is used when people meet after quite a while like a long time .
4.hello is not very appropriate to use with every day conduct esp to old friends one meet every day.
5.hello there can be used as an inquiry...or to surprise . or to a group of audience while addressing ...hope this helps ........or can be used at situation when friends met at unexpected places.

Answer 3

saying hell is the same thing as saying good day. but you greet people you know with hello. and people you dont with Good day or greetings

Answer 4

Hello was the first word said on the phone when it was invented by Bell. Some people say he made the word up.
Then again it beats saying "get lost" when you meet someone.

Answer 5

"hello" is the easiest word to say when u try to greet people. But most likely its only suitable when you pickup you phone. And it is the best way to raise your voice in a polite way to others.

Try say "hello" with

Helloo? Hellooo! Helloooo.... and replace it with

Good day? Good day! Goood daay....

Which one is better and easy to say? You decide.

Answer 6

You say hello because you are telling the other person that you are having a good day.And it polite to say hello to someone it make there day more easier.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

To greet people with politenees .....I THINK LOL.

Answer 9

it is a greeting to be polite.

Answer 10

its short for "hellofanote calling here in the middle of the night!" and it just stuck.