How Moscow teenagers answer the phone

created by Feldar
(idea) by Feldar (4.5 y) (print)   (I like it!) 1 C! Fri Nov 03 2000 at 2:46:03
I was going to title this node, "How Russians Answer The Phone," but I realized that my experience was far too limited to really know how all -- or even most Russians answer the phone.

I do, however, know more than my share of Moscow teenagers, and how they answer the phone in American households.

They answer the phone like this:

Moscow Teenager: Yes?

Nonplussed Caller:Uh... I might have the wrong number... I'm looking for so-and-so.

Moscow Teenager:Wait.

(So-and-so gets on line)
Nonplussed Caller, relieved:Oh, I thought I had dialed wrong.

Let me assure you that any attempt to teach the Moscow Teenager to answer the telephone with "Hello? / Who is this please? / One moment, I'll get her" will utterly fail.

I believe this to be more of a cultural difference than a language difference, because, even in Russian, Moscow Teenagers seem to get started on the phone with "Da?" (Yes) rather than "Zdraste" (informal Hello).

(idea) by sterling (1.3 d) (print)   (I like it!) Thu Aug 16 2001 at 0:34:00
I happen to be a Moscow teenager as well.

However...

I happen to live in a ...different Moscow than you may be thinking of. It's small, about 25,000 people. It's a college town. It's in Idaho. When I answer the phone, it usually goes something like this:

Moscow Teenager: Hello?

Rude-ass caller: Let me talk to so-and-so

Moscow Teenager: Just a moment. (under breath: Yeah, fuck you too, rude-ass sonofabitch.) She'll be right here.

Rude-ass caller: Good.

Let me assure you that any attempt to instill some idea that teenagers are more than secretaries and things that push lawn-mowers in these people will utterly fail. I believe I will start to answer the phone in this manner, though it's a tad too respectful, given the treatment I get, it's much more indicative of my opinion of the caller.

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