Where does the use of “why” as an interjection come from? This is a common English phrase that I'm sure everyone has heard before. However, I find it puzzling that the phrase begins with "why" but isn't a question and doesn't end with a question mark. If there is any story or explanation behind this, I would love to know.

So, 'Why, hello there' basically means 'hello', but with an added expression either of surprise, probably because you weren't expecting to meet that person, or simply extra affection towards the person you are meeting.

Most people don't say this, it's rare. People that do say this add the why in front of hello to signify being startled at seeing the person or for it to sound funny.

2011年2月17日 · What do you say when someone introduces a friend, a relative, anybody at all? You say "hello." Hello has to have been the standard English language greeting since English people began greeting,...

2014年7月18日 · 第一次回答问题，hello there, 一般用于引起话语接收者的注意，跟距离无关，和关系亲疏也无关，具体视频语境例子请参考电影的那个强迫症和主角bartleby第一次对话时的情景。

2018年8月15日 · Definition of why hello Most people don't say this, it's rare. People that do say this add the why in front of hello to signify being startled at seeing the person or for it to sound funny.

2011年3月18日 · Today "why" is used as a question word to ask the reason or purpose of something. This use might be explained from a formula such as "How does it come that ...". If you meet an old friend of yours, whom you never expected to meet in town, you can express your surprise by saying: Why, it's Jim!

2020年10月13日 · We use hello several times a day to greet people or attract attention. But as prevalent as the word is, it is relatively new. Where does hello come from? While use of the term hello dates back earlier, it isn’t recorded with this exact spelling until the 1800s.

Hello: It’s one of the most common words in English. If you’re a non-native ESL learner it will probably be your first. But how long has it actually been around? How did it change over time? How...

When we ask for reasons in speaking, we can use the phrase why is that? In informal conversations we often say why’s that?: … We often use the phrase that’s why to give a …