4 ms·

Now the really puzzling question is: How would someone learn about this particular saying without seeing it in writing? Are there actually people still using "h

Now the really puzzling question is: How would someone learn about this particular saying without seeing it in writing? Are there actually people still using "hear hear" in everyday speech?

blowski 10y ago
The British Parliament still uses it frequently, as does my Grandad. It means "Hear Him!" as in "Listen to this guy, because he's right".
- broodbucket 10y ago
  It's used in Australian parliament too.
gozur88 10y ago
I've heard it in everyday speech, yes. I always assumed people pick it up from reading it, though.
godmodus 10y ago
Ironically, I've have an English bachelors degree,and I've never seen it in writing before, till now! Language is active learning. There's no real way to avoiding these pitfalls, besides reading and engaging with others. I'm OK with it aslong as those offering corrections do it kindly. I've learned German, too. German is 'difficult', not because of its grammar, but because how mistakes are handled. Which is often with harsh commentary, ridicule or confusion. Not sure why that is the case, but English speakers are often kinder when offering corrections!
- Singletoned 10y ago
  > Ironically, I've have an English bachelors degree I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that was a clever and subtle joke.
  - godmodus 10y ago
    As a defense I'll say this: I'm arab, grew up mostly on online and speak and write four languages. Their grammars do intertwine, and I can't help it much. my colloquialisms and vernacular are not on paar with that of a native speaker's - my academic work had a higher quality of writing due to proof reading and tight work with a thesaurus. And it's been a while since I was a student. Cut me some slack :p And I know I should've written 'i have' instead of 'i've' - in Arabic we say 'ill efforts blacken the face'
- yellowapple 10y ago
  To disprove your last point: I'm curious as to how you achieved such a degree while using "till" as shorthand for "until". Are you sure your Bachelor's wasn't in agriculture? ;) Joking aside, I think it's a consequence of English being a very complicated language with all sorts of borrowing from different language families. There's almost no such thing as "correct" English, and attempts to reason about it in a prescriptive rather than descriptive manner will almost certainly fail. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate, but mistakes happen either way, and I reckon the average English speaker to be a bit more cognizant of that, recognizing that nobody - oneself included - really has a perfect understanding of the English language.
  - ranko 10y ago
    "Till", in fact, predates "until". http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/6989/what-is-the-difference-between-till-and-until http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/6989/what-is-the-.... See, for example, the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer (1662): "Till death us do part".
    - RandyRanderson 10y ago
      My advice as a native English speaker here: In my entire life, I've only seen or heard "till" in the following contexts, given in order of frequency: 1 A cash register (noun) 2 In very poorly constructed resumes 3 In the farming sense (verb) 4 In internet forums alongside poorly written English 5 Shakespeare and other literature from several centuries ago. So my advice: unless you're a time traveller, use "until".
  - godmodus 10y ago
    Oh god I remember reading so much about till and until. covers face in shame I think I even forgot the difference between conjuncts and adjuncts, too. Grammar 1/2/3 were tough courses. I'm leagues below the level of a native speaker, I'll admit that! But I did still do a ton of reading, which did improve my English, but won't protect against common pitfalls :P it could've been worse. At least I don't make those "your" "you're" mistakes, too often :D
aninhumer 10y ago
Perhaps not in everyday speech, but they might hear it in a movie or a TV show.
richardknop 10y ago
Yes there are. If you tune into House of Commons debates they still shout "Hear, hear" from time to time as a way to indicate their support with what current speaker is saying. So in UK you can still hear this phrase used in a speech, granted not everyday speech.
rusk 10y ago
I hear this quite frequently in day to day speech. e.g. somebody makes a proposition in a meeting and another agrees. Also - have seen this a few times in Whatsapp chats, albeit often misspelled this way (-:

Now the really puzzling question is: How would someone learn about this particular saying without seeing it in writing? Are there actually people still using "hear hear" in everyday speech?

blowski 10y ago

The British Parliament still uses it frequently, as does my Grandad. It means "Hear Him!" as in "Listen to this guy, because he's right".

broodbucket 10y ago
It's used in Australian parliament too.

gozur88 10y ago

I've heard it in everyday speech, yes. I always assumed people pick it up from reading it, though.

godmodus 10y ago

Ironically, I've have an English bachelors degree,and I've never seen it in writing before, till now! Language is active learning. There's no real way to avoiding these pitfalls, besides reading and engaging with others. I'm OK with it aslong as those offering corrections do it kindly. I've learned German, too. German is 'difficult', not because of its grammar, but because how mistakes are handled. Which is often with harsh commentary, ridicule or confusion. Not sure why that is the case, but English speakers are often kinder when offering corrections!

Singletoned 10y ago
> Ironically, I've have an English bachelors degree I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that was a clever and subtle joke.
- godmodus 10y ago
  As a defense I'll say this: I'm arab, grew up mostly on online and speak and write four languages. Their grammars do intertwine, and I can't help it much. my colloquialisms and vernacular are not on paar with that of a native speaker's - my academic work had a higher quality of writing due to proof reading and tight work with a thesaurus. And it's been a while since I was a student. Cut me some slack :p And I know I should've written 'i have' instead of 'i've' - in Arabic we say 'ill efforts blacken the face'
yellowapple 10y ago
To disprove your last point: I'm curious as to how you achieved such a degree while using "till" as shorthand for "until". Are you sure your Bachelor's wasn't in agriculture? ;) Joking aside, I think it's a consequence of English being a very complicated language with all sorts of borrowing from different language families. There's almost no such thing as "correct" English, and attempts to reason about it in a prescriptive rather than descriptive manner will almost certainly fail. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate, but mistakes happen either way, and I reckon the average English speaker to be a bit more cognizant of that, recognizing that nobody - oneself included - really has a perfect understanding of the English language.
- ranko 10y ago
  "Till", in fact, predates "until". http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/6989/what-is-the-difference-between-till-and-until http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/6989/what-is-the-.... See, for example, the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer (1662): "Till death us do part".
  - RandyRanderson 10y ago
    My advice as a native English speaker here: In my entire life, I've only seen or heard "till" in the following contexts, given in order of frequency: 1 A cash register (noun) 2 In very poorly constructed resumes 3 In the farming sense (verb) 4 In internet forums alongside poorly written English 5 Shakespeare and other literature from several centuries ago. So my advice: unless you're a time traveller, use "until".
- godmodus 10y ago
  Oh god I remember reading so much about till and until. covers face in shame I think I even forgot the difference between conjuncts and adjuncts, too. Grammar 1/2/3 were tough courses. I'm leagues below the level of a native speaker, I'll admit that! But I did still do a ton of reading, which did improve my English, but won't protect against common pitfalls :P it could've been worse. At least I don't make those "your" "you're" mistakes, too often :D

aninhumer 10y ago

Perhaps not in everyday speech, but they might hear it in a movie or a TV show.

richardknop 10y ago

Yes there are. If you tune into House of Commons debates they still shout "Hear, hear" from time to time as a way to indicate their support with what current speaker is saying. So in UK you can still hear this phrase used in a speech, granted not everyday speech.

rusk 10y ago

I hear this quite frequently in day to day speech. e.g. somebody makes a proposition in a meeting and another agrees. Also - have seen this a few times in Whatsapp chats, albeit often misspelled this way (-: