When I grew up, I was taught to answer the phone “Hello, John Elliot speaking.”
That made sense to me, and both myself and most I knew considered this an appropriate and polite way to answer the phone.
I've always thought that it was rude when I called someone and they simply answered with “Yeah”, or even just “Hello”. But these days I'm not so sure.
The problem with a plain “Hello“ is that I don't know who I'm talking to when someone on the other side answers, and I hate having to say “Hi, it's John here, can I speak to Joe”, and then the other person says “Er, dude, this *is* Joe”, and then I have to say “Oh hi, Joe, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you because I don't really care about you and have never bothered to remember what your voice sounds like when you say 'Hello'”. Not already knowing who you are speaking with is on par with forgetting someones name (again, something that I am notorious for (because I don't care about people I'm not likely to engage in sexual intercourse with or get money or beer from)).
Anyway, these days I've even started to answer the phone with just a plain “Hello”.
It's because of the god damn phone spammers. I hate telling them my name.
I'd say that a greater percentage of the calls I get on my phone are spam, than the percentage of e-mail I get that is spam.
I hate my phone. I don't care for telephones anymore.
Telephones are passe. Particularly land-lines which are prehistoric.
I'd go on. But I couldn't be bothered.
I think I'll go and lie down.
John.