"Call Back" what does it mean?

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Level 1

31 points

"Call Back" what does it mean?

I find it strange to hit "Call Back" after a failed Call.
My understanding would be, that it should be called "Call Again"
Otherwise I will confuse it with "The person I just tried to reach unsuccessfully will _Call me Back_"
(we have a feature over here in Europe: if the line is busy you can enable to get called back, once the other person puts down its phone. very practical)

PowerBook G4 12" 1.5 GHz 1.25 GB, Mac OS X (10.5.1), iPhone (version 1.1.3)

Posted on Jan 31, 2008 3:00 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

jia10

Level 4

1,722 points

Jan 31, 2008 3:43 AM in response to K Bundies

"Call back" means just that: to call back the person you wanted to call, but failed to reach the first time. I suppose that "Call again" might be more appropriate, but it's just semantics. Once you get used to the iPhone's terminology, it shouldn't be a problem should it, though it might be annoying?

If you feel strongly about it, try posting your feedback directly to Apple at:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

You never know: if enough people request the same change, they may do it.

Message was edited by: jia10

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Answer 2

K Bundies Author

Level 1

31 points

Jan 31, 2008 4:22 AM in response to jia10

jia10, thank you for your reply. My point is, I don't actually want to get used to _wrong English_ .
That is, why I tried to make a point.
What I have to know though is, does this sound "wrong" or slightly misleading in American English too?

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Answer 3

jia10

Level 4

1,722 points

Jan 31, 2008 4:23 AM in response to K Bundies

I know there are some differences in UK and US English, but I think this is just a case of normal usage. Also, if the US people aren't used to the Call Again feature you mention, as it isn't provided by their networks, then it wouldn't be a problem. In the UK, Call Back is the correct usage, as is Call Again. They really are the same thing, and would only be confusing if Call Back was reserved for a particular function, as it seems to be for you.

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Answer 4

MobileDev

Level 3

565 points

Jan 31, 2008 6:32 AM in response to K Bundies

In the US I think it's usually called "redial" on all other phones.

To me, "Call Back" means call the person who last called me. "Call Again" or "Redial" is to try to reach someone more than once.

PS. You're asking about proper English in a forum where 90% of the posters don't know the difference between "your" and "you're", "its (possessive) and "it's" (it is), peak/pique, manor/manner, mute/moot, and I could go on for pages.

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Answer 5

jia10

Level 4

1,722 points

Jan 31, 2008 6:47 AM in response to romad

Yes, I like this quote as well (Bertrand Russell), but as I usually tell my students, it's more like +separated by a phonetic language+, but now I'm just being a pedantic academic.

It all adds to the richness of life:

+There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.+
*Bertrand Russell*
British author, mathematician, & philosopher (1872 - 1970)

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Answer 6

Tamara

Level 6

13,744 points

Jan 31, 2008 4:31 AM in response to K Bundies

In the US, we call it a "call back".

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Answer 7

romad

Level 3

933 points

Jan 31, 2008 6:39 AM in response to MobileDev

Remember that the U.K. and U.S. are two countries separated by a common language! (That actually applies to the U.S. and Canada also)

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