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Joined: Mar 2000
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stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1 |
Can anyone tell me the origins of the word "hello"?
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
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".
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
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
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
That was indeed excellent, Jazz. So full of plause it gave me pause 
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
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!
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Joined: Mar 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
>to wade through some of the "stuff" ..< now, now, come on! it was rather dry of late, and the gutter has not been approached .
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
Thank you, Jazz, for a beautifully succinct and accessible piece of etymological history.
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
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.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
>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.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
- and today's capricious piffle is the wisdom of tomorrow.
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