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| My 7th-grade science teacher who wondered about "how come" |
Did you ever wonder why we say "how come," meaning "why?" I certainly never had until my 7th-grade science teacher posed the question to us. He didn't answer—he just moved on to how a car engine works. But many times when I say "how come," I think of him. And in all the years since then, I never looked up how the expression evolved—until now.
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| Ward's latest puzzle. How come he is so much better than I am at working them? |
Most agree that the use of "how come" in modern language started in the mid-1800s. However, Shakespeare used the phrase over 200 years earlier. Today, we use it interchangeably with "why," but usually in a more informal way.
Have you ever noticed whether you use "how come" or "why" more often? Do you use one in some circumstances but not in others?
Until next time...
Great blog
ReplyDeleteHow come I don't know the answer to your question? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I know which phrase I use more frequently, but I know that I use both of them. In related comments, wow, that is an amazing puzzle that Ward completed.
He said it was hard because there were no obvious border pieces, and the picture had a small, intricate design.
DeleteInteresting....I'm pretty sure I'm a 'why' person but suspect my hubby is more of a 'how come' person.
ReplyDeleteDonna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog
I think I'm more of a how come person, but I'm not sure.
DeleteJamie (jannghi.blosgspot.com): I don't have a preference. I just say whatever comes to mind ;)
ReplyDeleteI usually don't think about whether or not I'm saying how come or why, but I think most of my conversation is casual, so I'm guessing I say how come more.
DeleteI hear of 'how come' mostly on television so maybe it's why I'm familiar with it but never used it.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day.
That's interesting that you're only familiar with how come from TV.
DeleteThat is an interesting question and one I never thought about! I don't know if I use "how come" when I question something, but, maybe I do and never noticed it?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you don't use how come because you learned English as a second language?
DeletePerhaps. I remember that, when I sat for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam and saw some of the possible answers in the multiple choice questions on grammar ("he/she don't", "I ain't"), I wondered why they would give such obviously incorrect answers from which to choose! That was before I came here and realized that some people actually spoke that way! :D
DeleteThere are a lot of local variations that use improper grammar. Where I grew up people say, "I done..." Educated and uneducated alike. It is used so commonly that it sounds correct.
DeleteI think I use why most of the time, but have used how come, especially when questioning some bone headed decisions any of our sons made when they were younger.
ReplyDeleteI used the phrase, "What were you thinking?" with my sons when they did something I thought was stupid. :)
DeleteI definitely use "why." It is interesting how languages and words evolve over time. We've been watching a YouTube channel that does historical recipes and it's fascinating how much the spellings and word usage have changed.
ReplyDeleteThat puzzle looks very challenging!
Languages definitely evolve and it's hard during the transition sometimes. Many of the grammar rules I learned in school no longer apply, or at least not used much. It confuses me.
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