Questions tagged [reason-why]
25 questions
3
votes
0 answers
Use of the 'bird' when referring to a young maiden
In the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera 'The Mikado' (mid-late nineteenth Century) - the words 'Yes, I knew the bird intimately' appear the circumstances which point to a pun meaning a young lady, this predates the 1915 supposed 'new' use of the word in…
Cassion53
- 31
1
vote
3 answers
Is it correct to say 'This behavior is because'
Can we use 'because' in the following sentence:
[After discussing the behavior of a technique T] We believe this drop is because T fails to find the right number of classifiers to include in the final ensemble.
Here I am trying to explain a…
Hadjer
- 114
1
vote
1 answer
A question of gratitude?
In this expression, (why thank you) there seems to be a question with a statement of gratitude. I have heard it all of my life growing up in Texas. I can even remember hearing it in the voice of Foghorn Leghorn "Why, I say why thank you." Is it…
JcoupleJ
- 13
0
votes
1 answer
Why do words like mean (in the context of '__ means ___') require an s?
I am trying to help a friend of mine from Thailand with his English, and before I correct his usage of 'mean' I'd like to be able to explain the why and wherefore of what I am telling him. He often sends me messages that say things like "That…
A. Finley
- 9
- 1