[Augustine23655]

When people make a telephone call, why do most start talking without identifying themselves first? They ask to speak to someone and you’re supposed to get that person, or start talking yourself if you’re the one they want, without knowing who’s on the other end of the line, unless of course you ask. Situations where one’s identity is irrelevant, such as calling directory assistance or calling a store to ask what time they open or close, that’s one thing, but otherwise, I think talking without saying who you are first is rude and presumptuous. And was there ever a time when identifying oneself first was just part of common etiquette?

User Detail :  

Name : Augustine23655, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 38, City : Columbia, State : SC, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[C.B.]

I totally agree with you that it is very rude to not identify yourself when you call someone on the phone. Look in any etiquette book and it will tell you that when you call someone, you say who you are first (‘Hello. This is so-and-so,’) and then you ask to speak to the person you’re calling (‘May I speak to so-and-so, please?’) Also, this might just be a ‘southern thang,’ but my mamma taught me that if you are a woman calling a married man and his wife answers the phone, you had better identify yourself quick! You are being very rude to the gentleman’s wife when you don’t! My husband is a salesman, and he has female manufacturer representatives call him at our home, in the evenings, all the time. Very seldom do these rude young women identify themselves to me. I’m not saying I don’t trust my husband or anything. I was just always taught that this is VERY rude! Being a woman, I’m not sure if the same rule applies to men calling married women, but it seems it should. Oh well, I guess no one sends their kids to charm schools anymore. I’m afraid good manners in any situation are becoming a thing of the past.

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Name : C.B., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Southern Baptist, Age : 29, City : Nashville, State : TN, Country : United States, Occupation : homemaker, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Karl]

In Germany one answers the phone by saying who you are and the caller then says who they are. Now I am an American living here. My parents were strict about phone rules and we were taught to not identify ourselves, and I tend to agree. If you call my phone, you either know who I am or you have no business knowing. The latter rule though I like, although I also enjoy violating it when calling friends. I enjoy calling people I haven’t talked to in awhile and seeing how long they take before they know its me.

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Name : Karl, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 44, City : Duesseldorf, State : NA, Country : Germany, Occupation : retired computer jock, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Maggie]

In Germany the normal way to answer the phone is to give your surname, sometimes the phone number and the company name if appropriate. Equally when calling (even if it is just directory assistance) the surname is given. Often it is said so quickly that you can’t understand it, but it is always said. Germans find it very strange that phones in the UK are answered with ‘hello?’

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Name : Maggie, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 25, City : Cologne, State : NA, Country : Germany, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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