put/dial it on loudspeaker

[diamondcutter]

(From Kid’s Box 6, an English textbook for kids, CUP)

The girl’s father says, “I’m going to put it on loudspeaker.”

I think the “it” refers to the phone number. I wonder why Emily’s father doesn’t use the verb “dial” but “put”. I’d like to know what the verb “put” exactly means here.

 

[GoesStation]

I'd say "put it on speaker". It means that you're metaphorically placing the call or the phone, not the number, on the "speaker" condition.

 

[Tarheel]

I put the phone on speaker so I can hear better.

 

[teechar]

It means switch the phone to speaker mode. It has nothing to do with the number.
In the above "put" means "switch to".

 

[emsr2d2]

In the same way, we are often asked to put our phones on silent.

 

[PeterCW]

In BrE these days we are more likely to say "call" rather than "dial" as push button phones have been pretty well universal for at least a generation.