etymology - "Hear hear" or "here here"


Which one is it really: hear hear or here here? Where does the saying really come from?



Answer



It's "Hear! Hear!" which comes from "Hear him! Hear him!"


"Hear him! Hear him!"


"Hear him! Hear him!" was referred to in Debates in Parliament in 1688, and from the context it's clear it was a commonly heard phrase at the time.



Sir Edward Seymour.] I see Gentlemen speak here under great disadvantages. If they are not free in this Convention, what shall we do in Parliament ? When Gentlemen speak with Reflections, and cry, " Hear him, hear him," they cannot speak with freedom. I speak not this to the Chair (the Speaker) who keeps Order well, but to what passed at the Committee.



Seymour continues, and is followed by:



Sir Henry Capel.] The Chair has taken care of Order' and I have seen no disorder to-day. When Seymour was in the Chair, I have heard "Hear him, hear him," often said in the House.



"Hear! Hear!"


A interesting non-parliamentary use of "hear, hear" can be found in a 1770 A Letter to Lord Mansfield. A North Briton Extraordinary:


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Note the parenthetic interjections to the quoted text:



(do you hear my Lord?) ... (hear, hear!) ... (do, for God's sake, my Lord, hear, recall your wandering thoughts, this is only a history) ... (once more hear, and I have done)



Originally from 1772 is what looks to be a satire on parliament in The Batchelor: or Speculations of Jeoffry Wagstaffe, Esq, Volume 3 that shows a transitional "hear, hear him":



Omnes.] Hear, hear him ; well spoke, no governor, no minister, no administration : long life to Will Spitfire, Doctor Bolus, Lord Babeltongue, and Dir Ed-w-d N-n-m.



Finally, in 1777 is an actual transcription of "Hear! Hear!" in The Parliamentary register: or, History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons:



The Governor took notice of the scandalous means made use of to vilify Lord Pigot, and depreciate his character through the channel of the news-papers. [Here a loud cry of Hear! Hear!] In particular, respecting the article of presents. It is true, his Lordship did receive a few trifling presents ; he wished he had not. They consisted of a cow, an elephant, two mares, and a gold tea service, to the amount of 500l. which he presented to his daughter, then lately married.



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