Hear Hear

[Malandro]

How is the phrase hear hear spelt (here here?) and what are it's origins?

[Kit]

It is spelt "hear hear" and is an exclamation of agreement, approval or support for a speech. Originated in British parliament in the 18th century as a contraction of "hear him, hear him".

[Spellmaster]

the word 'its' does not need an apostrophe. It's means 'it is'.

[tief]

The word 'the' should start with a capital. It's at the beginning of a sentence.

[dazmac]

Sorry SPELLMASTER, but surely the "it's" is question is a posessive apostrophe. e.g. Spellmaster's origin, the dog's balls etc.

[Kit]

Sorry, dazmac, but Spellmaster is right. Possessive nouns require apostrophes, possessive pronouns do not. "It" is a pronoun, and therefore "its" is the right possessive form, "it's" is a contraction of "it is". And now I've got a headache.

[Kit]

If you need any bedtime reading, wildwood, I can lend you a good grammar book. You should find page 311 especially interesting, it's all about its and it's. Sweet dreams! x

[Kit]

Apologies, Malandro, we've completely hijacked your question. I will now remember my manners and say no more on the subject.