# Why is "why" one word instead of two? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 30, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250 "2003-06-30T00:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/1 "2003-06-30T00:12:52Z")
The English word “why” has two logically distinguishable meanings: “from what cause” and “for what purpose.” It would be better if there were two separate words. Combining the two meanings into one word gives it an unwarranted air of mystery, a sense that there could be more meanings still. Remember that episode of _The Prisoner,_ where Number Six asked a supercomputer “Why?” and it melted down? Are there any foreign languages where “why” is broken down into two words? ---
**Author:** ![BKABBY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@BKABBY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BKABBY)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/2 "2003-06-30T00:16:02Z")
Well, Spanish, for one. Por Que in spanish is the equivalent of Why, even though directly translated t would be “For What”. But, yeah, Spanish is one. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/3 "2003-06-30T00:25:25Z")
Posted by **BKABBY:** > [@](#): > > Well, Spanish, for one. Por Que in spanish is the equivalent of Why, even though directly translated t would be “For What”. But, yeah, Spanish is one. Umm . . . you’re missing the point, **BKABBY.** “Por que” is a two-word **phrase,** but, as a phrase, it has the same double meaning as the English “why.” I’m looking for a language that has one word or word-phrase meaning “from what cause,” and another word or word-phrase meaning “for what purpose.” ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/4 "2003-06-30T00:25:49Z")
BKABBY, you misunderstood the OP which is whether there are languages which have different words for the different meanings. ---
**Author:** ![Melanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Melanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melanie)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/5 "2003-06-30T00:30:42Z")
In philosophy the fact that we have one word for multiple meanings has lead to many problems. ‘Why’ can indicate that either an evidential reason or an explanatory reason will be acceptable/forthcoming. In Auslan (Australian sign language) why and because are one word. ---
**Author:** ![Melanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Melanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melanie)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/6 "2003-06-30T00:32:45Z")
In philosophy the fact that we have one word for multiple meanings has lead to many problems. ‘Why’ can indicate that either an evidential reason or an explanatory reason will be acceptable/forthcoming. eg. Why is the scaffolding unsafe? Because I saw it move around in the wind (evidential reason) Because someone might fall off (explanatory reason) In Auslan (Australian sign language) why and because are one word. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/7 "2003-06-30T00:33:41Z")
BKABBY, yes “por que” means “why” in spanish but “porque” means “because”. Always thought that was interesting. “why” (I think) comes from an old English word _hwi_. _hwi_ is the instrumental form of _hwo_ meaning “who”. The point of the instrumental case is to instruct. The word _instrumental_ comes from the Latin word instrumentum (instruct). Therefore “why” is a word that is used when seeking clarification on something - further instruction. I don’t think that your two meanings of the word “why” are indeed two meanings. The word “why” takes into account both meanings therefore only one word is needed. “Why” simply means “give me further instruction” so the fact that one of your meanings refers to the past and one to the future doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/8 "2003-06-30T00:36:19Z")
sorry, old English word for who is _hwa_ not hwo, typo. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/9 "2003-06-30T00:43:25Z")
French porquoi- “why”… as in “why is it such a problem that its one word?” ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/10 "2003-06-30T02:53:23Z")
If why were two words, where would you split it? Between the w and h or between the h and y? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/11 "2003-06-30T02:55:54Z")
Sometimes it is two words (“How come. . . ?”) and that’s one of those expressions that annoys the heck out of me. ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/12 "2003-06-30T04:09:38Z")
Hmmm, maybe you could re-introduce “wherefor” as in “wherefor art thou Romeo” ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/13 "2003-06-30T07:53:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BrainGlutton \* > \*\*Are there any foreign languages where “why” is broken down into two words? \*\* Actually, German uses two different words for the distinguishable meanings" “from what cause” and “for what purpose”: “From what cause” = "wodurch “For what purpose” = “wozu” There are even more vartiations that are usually just translated as “why” in English, for instance: “weshalb” = also “From what cause” “warum” = also “For what purpose” It seems the Germans like to ask a lot of complicated questions (and have a very complicated grammar). ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/14 "2003-06-30T08:29:48Z")
One word seems to be all that’s needed for the most part. If you ask me why I did something, I’ll presume you want to know the purpose. If you ask me why an event occurred, I’ll presume you want to know the cause. Also, if you asked “From what cause did the chicken to cross the road”, the answer is “A desire to get to the other side”, not enough of a difference from the usual answer to concern most people. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/15 "2003-06-30T11:09:10Z")
Almost every word in the dictionary has multiple meanings. Why should why be any different? Just the other day I was reading a draft of a set of new development ordinances, and, paraphrased, it said that the maximum density of a subdivision would be its area times the maximum permitted density in that zone. Two different uses of density, one maybe even wrong–but the planner in charge didn’t see anything wrong with it. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/16 "2003-06-30T11:35:01Z")
One could argue that in English there are two words that together would cover the whole gamut of meanings in _why_. I’m thinking of _wherefore_ and _therefore_, two words that unfortunately are rather rare (and in the first case, often missunderstood). In Swedish we do make this distinction, and have _varför_ and _därför_. (Surprisingly enough _var_, _där_ and _för_ mean _where_, _there_ and _fore_[sup]\*[/sup] respectively. Shows how closely related the Germanic languages are) [sup]\*[/sup]Yup, they both mean the pointy end of a boat. Don’t ask me why. ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/17 "2003-06-30T13:34:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jojo \* > **"why" (I think) comes from an old English word _hwi_.** I don’t have anything more than a basic etymology-freak’s knowledge of Old English, but I’m pretty sure that the Old English for ‘why’ us _hwy_, which probably did unround to _hwi_ at some point, though I’m not sure if the Old English bothered to change the spelling–I just know more about sound changes than orthographical changes. Other than that, everything else seems correct. **Mycroft Holmes** : Heh, wow. I thought I was a pretty good non-native speaker of German (gooooood non-native speaker of German–roll over–play dead–gooooood :)). I had no idea that _weshalb_ and _warum_ weren’t one-hundred-percent synonymous. Thank God I generally stick to _warum_ in conversation… It’s always those little words that throw me. _Weltanschauungabwechschlunglosigkeit_ is immediately clear to me, but _wozu_–I gotta reach for my dictionary for that one. ---
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/18 "2003-06-30T13:48:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mycroft Holmes \* > \*\* > “weshalb” = also “From what cause” > “warum” = also “For what purpose” > > It seems the Germans like to ask a lot of complicated questions (and have a very complicated grammar). \*\* I was never taught this in German class, which I had for 5 years. I wonder whether it’s because it would be too hard to get English-speaking students to know the difference, or because it’s not used by the average person (like English’s ‘who’ and ‘whom’). ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/19 "2003-06-30T14:12:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lodrain \* > \*\* > [It’s always those little words that throw me. _Weltanschauungabwechschlunglosigkeit_ is immediately clear to me, but _wozu_–I gotta reach for my dictionary for that one. \*\* What for? 😃 I gotta admit, all those words that start with ‘wo-’ are enough to drive any non-native speaker nuts when learning German: wobei, wodurch, wofuer, wohin, womit, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Nils](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Nils](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nils)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250/20 "2003-06-30T14:41:51Z")
Wieso, weshalb and warum are IMHO absolutely synonymous. I can’t think of a situation where they mean something different. In fact they can means either “from what cause” or “for what purpose” (just as “why” in English). But we still can use “wozu” and “wodurch” to make things clearer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-why-one-word-instead-of-two/185250.md?page=2)