Here, here! or Hear, hear!?

I am always in a dilemma about the spelling of the phrase meaning ‘I agree’ or ‘I second that’ – should it be ‘here, here!’ or hear, hear!’? I hope I will resolve my dilemma by writing about it.

I have had a little research and have found that the original phrase was something like ‘hear him’, perhaps like the town crier’s cry of ‘oyez! oyez! oyez’ comes from the French meaning to give ear to something. Oyez – always called or shouted three times is used these days to call a court to order.

Apparently, there should be a comma between the two ‘hears’ and it is a complete sentence, not a phrase. As well as showing agreement, it can also mean a sort of ‘hurrah!’ It’s often spelt as ‘here, here’, and I confess I may have done that! In fact it is so often misspelt that it’s almost accepted as an alternative spelling… but ‘hear’ is correct, and was first defined in that way as far back as the 1600’s.