modem noises for humans, mixed metaphors

[memegarden]

One explanation for why we need to say hello on the phone before saying anything else. I don't know whether the explanation makes sense, but the phenomenon is certainly there--starting right in on giving info w/o introductory noises makes a person practically impossible to understand. Lots of other interesting linguistic bits on same site. Here

Comments

[nosrednayduj]

I didn't read the article, but we have two phone lines, one of which we never give out (they hunt so we get a call on line 2 if line 1 is in use), so if line 2 rings independently, it 99% means a wrong number. So I often answer it with "You have the wrong number" which REALLY throws people for a loop. Saying "hello" first tends to make the conversation shorter, though perhaps less interesting.