is it only in northern europe that ppl who call you up don't say their names first but ask bluntly would they want to speak to?

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when I call someone and he answers I first give my name and then ask whatever, that is when I call a friend or a more formal phone call anything.

but when I get phone calls at work from ppl from france or spain they don't give their names but just ask what they want, who they want to speak an d that leaves me to ask "but who ARE you?"...

I live in Holland and work at the desk of an art centre so I get all these silly spanish on the phone all day who assume you speak their language or the french that are no better in this, on the phone that is...

so how do you pick up the phone?

― erik, Sunday, 17 November 2002 11:02 (twenty-three years ago)

northern = southern in subject line but you get the message I think

― erik, Sunday, 17 November 2002 11:08 (twenty-three years ago)

i do the way you do it, and i get mad when i say who i want to speak to and they ask my name

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Sunday, 17 November 2002 11:59 (twenty-three years ago)

oh i mean i do they way they do it (the french and spanish)

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Sunday, 17 November 2002 12:00 (twenty-three years ago)

...yeah, but that goes because you think that person wants speak to you regardless who you are or am I wrong?

another matter: when you pick up the phone to you say your name or do you just say "hi" and wait till the other end give his name/question or anything?

― erik, Sunday, 17 November 2002 12:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Unless it is a very important business call (and I almost never make those), I just ask to speak to the person I want to talk to. I got into a slightly embarrassing situation this past week thanks to that, since I called the person I have been dating and her father answered the phone. When he said she wasn't there, I proceeded to ask if she was working this week, which led him to ask me who the hell I was (but politely). Fortunately, he seemed to be well-disposed toward me when he found out who I was; and anyway, it doesn't really matter much since I think I'm about to break things off with her.

When I answer the phone I just say hello and expect the other person to get the ball rolling. (If I'm at work, I identify the organization and department I work for, but don't volunteer my name.)

I once got a live telemarketing call from AT&T that was in Japanese.

― Rockist Scientist, Sunday, 17 November 2002 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I forgot to say that I'm American.

― Rockist Scientist, Sunday, 17 November 2002 16:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Maybe they are just too passionate to take the time to say who they are.

― Rockist Scientist, Sunday, 17 November 2002 17:06 (twenty-three years ago)

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