Why is hi spelled hi?

Answer 1

Answer:

One suggestion/theory I have read is that it comes from Old French "hola!", or "ho, la!", meaning "stop, there!" Over time it split into variants, becoming different ways to gain someone's attention, and eventually became a greeting as well.

Another answer:

The word derives from any noise made by a person to attract someones attention. The word used in the English language came from Old High German as Hala or Hola, or Halon or Holon ( a word used to attract a Ferryman) The word Hello also connects to a French word Ho La, roughly meaning Whoa There. It is also a word shouted loudly at the Hunt, in olden times, to indicate finding a quarry. Thomas Edison used the word when demonstrating/using a telephone

Further information:

Hai is the standard greeting in Norway so maybe it might of come from immigrants from Norway.

Further information:

The word 'hello', with that spelling, was first recorded in English in 1883. The word 'hi' is first recorded in American English in 1862.

English-speakers in the late 1500s began using 'hullo', which itself came from words such as 'holla', 'hollo', 'hola', and so on. These words share their origins with terms such 'hey', 'ahoy', and the cry of 'halleluja': all are expressions of greeting, warning, farewell, rejoicing, and so on, designed to attract attention. They are reflected in many ancient and modern languages, and originated with the vocalization into words of early human shouts to attract attention.

We still, when suddenly alarmed, expressing great joy, or otherwise trying to quickly gain the attention of others, make involuntary sounds which come close to 'hello!', 'hola!', 'hi!', 'hiya!', and so on.

Answer 2

Here is the etymology (word origin) for the word hi: ; hi : greeting, 1862, Amer.Eng. (first recorded reference is to speech of a Kansas Indian), originally to attract attention, probably a variant of M.E. hy, hey (c.1475) also an exclamation to call attention. Extended form hiya attested from 1940. See the Related Link below. As far as WHY it became "hi," it was probably for the sake of brevity; humans like to shorten things.

Answer 3

It is spelt this way from a Roman and Greek empire called Hiendi. In that kingdom the King otherwise known as King Hie, made everyone great him using his name! If they did now, they would be hanged in a gallow. So, men fled from the place and went to Europian parts, when they got there, they spread a word called Hie, but no one would want to say his real name, so they took out the E, and they got a new pronuncinations for it, (HUH-I) instead of (HH-EYE)..

Answer 4

Hi is not an abbreviation. It is an ejaculation in its own right, from the Middle English hy, used to attract attention. In British English it is still so used, in settings where Americans say "hey!"

Answer 5

"Hi" is not actually a short version of "hello", but rather a variant of "hey" (HI and HEY from Middle English "hy"), first recorded in American English.