[Idiom] 'hear me out' / 'listen me out'

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Olympian

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Hello,

I am familiar with the expression 'hear me out' to mean as - let me finish what I have to say before you say something.

But the other day, I heard one participant on a TV debate say - 'listen me out'. I am wondering if this is correct or not. I understand that he meant the same as 'hear me out' because someone was trying to interrupt him.

'hear' and 'listen' are a bit confusing because of the close meanings they have. I understand that in general, 'to hear' means to be aware of sound (for example, can you hear me?) and 'to listen' means to pay attention to what someone is saying (for example, are you listening to me?). According to this understanding, 'listen me out' makes sense, but the phrase I have heard before is 'hear me out'.

Thank you
 

susiedq

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It's not an Amercian English expression. What TV show were you watching?
 

Raymott

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I've never heard "listen me out". In the heat of a debate a person might conflate, "Listen to me!" with "Hear me out!" and end up saying, "Listen me out!".
 

Olympian

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It's not an Amercian English expression. What TV show were you watching?

@susiedq, it was a political debate on one of the Indian TV channels.
 
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Olympian

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I've never heard "listen me out". In the heat of a debate a person might conflate, "Listen to me!" with "Hear me out!" and end up saying, "Listen me out!".

@Raymott, thank you. That is what must have happened.

I know language usage is not necessarily logical, but if 'listen' means 'to pay attention to what someone is saying', then 'listen me out' seems more logical than 'hear me out'. ;) And it seems 'strange' only because we are used to hearing 'hear me out'.

Out of 'listen to me' and 'hear me out', is 'listen to me' more authoritative and 'hear me out' more polite? I think 'listen to me' is something a parent might say to a child, or a person trying to get someone to listen to him might say if the other person is not paying attention, but 'hear me out' is more of a request to let him finish speaking?
 

Raymott

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@Raymott, thank you. That is what must have happened.

I know language usage is not necessarily logical, but if 'listen' means 'to pay attention to what someone is saying', then 'listen me out' seems more logical than 'hear me out'. ;) And it seems 'strange' only because we are used to hearing 'hear me out'.

Out of 'listen to me' and 'hear me out', is 'listen to me' more authoritative and 'hear me out' more polite? I think 'listen to me' is something a parent might say to a child, or a person trying to get someone to listen to him might say if the other person is not paying attention, but 'hear me out' is more of a request to let him finish speaking?
There's always the possibility that "listen me out" is used in Indian English. It's often harder to say that something isn't English, than to confirm that something is. All we can do in many cases is say we are not familiar with it.

"Listen to me" is more blunt. But it would also depend on the tone of voice. You can say either phrase politely or rudely.
 

bhaisahab

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Hello,

I am familiar with the expression 'hear me out' to mean as - let me finish what I have to say before you say something.

But the other day, I heard one participant on a TV debate say - 'listen me out'. I am wondering if this is correct or not. I understand that he meant the same as 'hear me out' because someone was trying to interrupt him.

'hear' and 'listen' are a bit confusing because of the close meanings they have. I understand that in general, 'to hear' means to be aware of sound (for example, can you hear me?) and 'to listen' means to pay attention to what someone is saying (for example, are you listening to me?). According to this understanding, 'listen me out' makes sense, but the phrase I have heard before is 'hear me out'.

Thank you

I have heard "listen me out" for "hear me out" in Indian English.
 

Olympian

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I have heard "listen me out" for "hear me out" in Indian English.

@bhaisahab, these days we have lots of debates on TV because of elections in several states. I am surprised to see Lord Meghnad Desai (Baron Desai? Not sure what is the right way to say his name, but he is referred to as 'Lord Desai' on TV here) in the political debates on TV here.
 

bhaisahab

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@bhaisahab, these days we have lots of debates on TV because of elections in several states. I am surprised to see Lord Meghnad Desai (Baron Desai? Not sure what is the right way to say his name, but he is referred to as 'Lord Desai' on TV here) in the political debates on TV here.

His official title is "Baron Desai of St. Clement Danes". A Baron is a type of Lord. The members of the British House of Lords are all known as Lord or Lady X but their official title might be Baron X or Baroness X.
 

Olympian

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His official title is "Baron Desai of St. Clement Danes". A Baron is a type of Lord. The members of the British House of Lords are all known as Lord or Lady X but their official title might be Baron X or Baroness X.

@bhaisahab, thank you. When people address someone as 'Sir', they usually use the first name or the full name. But when addressing Baron Desai, I have heard the debate moderator sometimes call him as 'Lord Desai' and sometimes 'Lord Meghnad'. This is the first time I have heard someone's first name being associated with the title 'Lord'. I wonder if the moderator is right or not.
 

bhaisahab

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@bhaisahab, thank you. When people address someone as 'Sir', they usually use the first name or the full name. But when addressing Baron Desai, I have heard the debate moderator sometimes call him as 'Lord Desai' and sometimes 'Lord Meghnad'. This is the first time I have heard someone's first name being associated with the title 'Lord'. I wonder if the moderator is right or not.

"Lord Desai" would be the correct form of address.
 
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