"Why ...?" vs. "Why is it that ... ?" - English Language & Usage Stack ...
I don't know why, but it seems to me that Bob would sound a bit strange if he said, "Why is it that you have to get going?" in that situation.
Origin of fag (meaning a cigarette in British English)
Dec 1, 2015 · This appears to be speculative, and doesn't necessarily explain why this definition fell into common usage to indicate a cigarette. I'm looking for something more concrete …
Reason for different pronunciations of "lieutenant"
Dec 6, 2014 · While Americans (and possibly others) pronounce this as "loo-tenant", folks from the UK pronounce it as "lef-tenant". Why?
indefinite articles - Is it 'a usual' or 'an usual'? Why? - English ...
As Jimi Oke points out, it doesn't matter what letter the word starts with, but what sound it starts with. Since "usual" starts with a 'y' sound, it should take 'a' instead of 'an'. Also, If you say …
phrase origin - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
Dec 7, 2022 · There is a crime where the robbers wait outside a bank and identify people that are likely to have withdrawn money and then follow them to a place where they are robbed. Just …
What do we call the “rd” in “3ʳᵈ” and the “th” in “9ᵗʰ”?
Aug 23, 2014 · Our numbers have a specific two-letter combination that tells us how the number sounds. For example 9th 3rd 301st What do we call these special sounds?
Why was "Spook" a slur used to refer to African Americans?
Jul 29, 2023 · I understand that the word spook is a racial slur that rose in usage during WWII; I also know Germans called black gunners Spookwaffe. What I don't understand is why. Spook …
As to why or of why - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
May 8, 2020 · Which one is correct and used universally? I don’t owe you an explanation as to why I knocked the glass over. I don’t owe you an explanation of why I knocked the glass over. …
How does "pussy" come to mean "coward"?
The word pussy is often used to mean "coward". This guy is a pussy. and I am wondering why. How are woman's genitals related to being a "coward"?
Where does the use of "why" as an interjection come from?
Mar 18, 2011 · "why" can be compared to an old Latin form qui, an ablative form, meaning how. Today "why" is used as a question word to ask the reason or purpose of something.