Calling over the phone: Is this John? Yes, this is he.

[Cisco795]

Calling over the phone: Is this John? Yes, this is he.

Why is the relative pronoun "this" used to ask and to answer about somebody over a phone conversation?
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[Jamie (K)]

In the British books I taught from in Europe, the first person would have said, "Is that John?" or, "Who is that?" but it sounds very impolite in North America.

[SkiIucK]

Hi,

I don't quite get it. Then what form of address would be considered polite?

Thanks.

[Shyone]

I would ask:

Who am I talking to?

or:

Am I talking to John?
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No comment

[Jamie (K)]

In North America it's polite to say, "Is this John?" Apparently in the UK it's also polite to say, "Is that John?" but in North America it sounds rude, because the word "that" creates more distance between the speaker and listener. We say "this" because it makes it sound as if there is close (social) proximity between the speaker and the listener. Of course, you can't get any closer to a person than actually being him, so we say, "This is he."

[Torsten]

And when do people in North America say 'This is him'?

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