# There, there.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-there/6831>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 5, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-there/6831 "2000-02-05T21:40:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-there/6831/1 "2000-02-06T06:31:00Z")

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You know what I mean. That’s the cliche thing to say to someone when they’re upset. “There there”

1. When’d this get started.
2. Is it just a thing they do in books?
3. What did it start as?
4. Do you ever say it?

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I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.

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**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-there/6831/2 "2000-02-05T21:40:00Z")

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Probably the morning after you start saying “here, here” as a repetitive toast to your drinking buddies.

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**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-there/6831/3 "2000-02-05T22:18:00Z")

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As for books it’s in Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit”