What's the meaning/point of the word "hello"?

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maybe it means "hell zero"
maybe therefore it means "all is well".

you made me think that in French, salut means dirty 'u'

I thought it could either be an invitation to conversation, or acknowledgement of presence. I like "hello" best when it's used in the acknowledgement sense: Hello, I see you are there, we're on good terms, and I'm glad to see you
Also, isn't it also just a bit of an icebreaker? Rather than saying you want a black coffee at the shop, you're sort of showing them respect and viewing them as a person by saying hello first; rather than a medium through which your coffee must be transferred.

It's a universal way of showing that you're frendly and that you're open for conversation.

Returning a greeting (a hello, hi, good afternoon) is a polite and kind way of showing good will and respect towards fellow human beings. Doesn't necessarily mean that people want to start up a conversation. As with smalltalk, it is part of the rituals that grease the machinery of smooth communication and interaction, and which make people (at least NTs) feel more comfortable in each others' company (even though it is just a chance meeting or at the tills in a supermarket).

As for returning the greetings of cashiers or checkout-staff: I recommend a good book written by Anna Sam who used to work as a checkout girl. She's got her own views on how customers communicate. Here's an article from The Times about Anna and her book.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life ... 853437.ece

well yeah, he did it once and i was too afraid to say anything then another secretary complained about him to the mayor and he calmed down. didn't get into trouble though (yes, france is a great country...)
these days he occasionally puts his hand on my shoulder, i'm so focused on that hand that i can't hear a word he's saying.

Blech. He sounds like a creeper. Well, I think the shoulder thing is innocent enough. I can see how that would unnerve you after him holding you. :S
You should probably tell him it makes you uncomfortable. It would be best.

i'm not sure he would like me telling him to piss off, even if I ask my husband for an appropriate way to say it. My boss is very bipolar, can be a pain in the a-- one day and the next he's like i'm his best friend, tells me his childhood stories (like i care...) and he puts his hand on my shoulder, it might sound innocent to you but i don't like people touching me. Only my husband

It's polite. It's just one of those social rules you have to follow so people don't think you're weird.

I never used to do greetings when I was younger. Someone once told me not to be afraid to say goodbye.
I don't mind doing it so much these days.

I suppose it's just used to acknowledge that you exist and people that you know say it so they know that you are here and they are recognizing that fact.

that would not explain why it has to be done every day and only once a day

I can understand why you feel estranged to the word "hello". Sometimes people just say it robotically, purely out of obligation, and some people may even say it to everyone that passes them by! Maybe you feel overthrown by these possibilities; the best thing to do is to assume that a person that says "hello" or "hi" is presenting their kind nature to you, and take them up on it. If you don't feel like socializing or are not in the mood to talk, just tell them so and they will hopefully understand.