Can anyone tell me the origins of the word "hello"?

Oh boy, it's been a while hasn't it?

The origin of this ever-present word is a little vague. We know it originated around the time when the Anglo-Saxons were inhabiting England, along with the vast Christianizing of the popular isle. The previously pagan Anglo-Saxons adopted the Christian religion whole-heartedly and took in all the gory details of the Bible. Being quite fearful of the ultimate end, they were fond of bidding each other good day with a hearty "Mae de Haelle outen" (May hell not be in ye). This eventually condensed to "Haelle out" and then merely "Haello", which through the changes of Old to Middle to Modern English became "hello".

That was your best yet, Jazz. I would even venture to say that it may have been too good, too plausible. You even had me doubting my understanding of the etymology!
For Nick check out this link:
http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=hello

That was indeed excellent, Jazz. So full of plause it gave me pause

Welcome to you, Nick. I think the best thing I can do is to wish you good luck in trying to wade through some of the
"stuff" you'll find here!

>to wade through some of the "stuff" ..<
now, now, come on! it was rather dry of late, and the gutter has not been approached.

Thank you, Jazz, for a beautifully succinct and accessible piece of etymological history.

Thank you, Jazz, for a beautifully succinct and accessible piece of etymological history.

surely you jest. That was merely the lastest addition of "Capricious Piffle". Perhaps my stories are starting to sound too possible.

>Perhaps my stories are starting to sound too possible.<

Hi Jazzoctopus,
By no means let this experience stop you: in all discoveries there is a bit of invention, every theory relies on creativity.

- and today's capricious piffle is the wisdom of tomorrow.