Word of the Week – Hi

Since I wrote on the origins of hello last time, my daughter said that I had to look up hi for this week. =) So here we go! Far simpler than hello, LOL.

Hi is most assuredly an Americanism, a greeting whose first recorded reference is from 1862. Interestingly, it’s recorded in the speech of a Kansas Indian.

But before becoming a standard greeting, it was used as a way of attracting attention–such uses have been recorded as early as the 15th century. It was probably a variant of Middle English’s hy, hey. The extended form hiya is from the 1940s.

We have some fun coming on the blog this week, so I thought I’d clue you in! On Wednesday, I’ll be sharing some of the oh-so-interesting history I’ve been learning about Russia in preparation for my Russian spy character, Kira Belova. So. Much. Fun.

But then on Thursday, beginning at noon mountain time, I’ll be participating in the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, which will visit 34 authors for a chance at some AWESOME prizes. (The blog will be live before the hunt begins as we all update links and make sure all information is where is should be.) In addition to the huge grand prizes, most of the authors are also offering prizes of their own–including me, who will be offering a signed copy of A Soft Breath of Wind. You really don’t want to miss this, and will have a long weekend to put all the clues together!