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In reply to the discussion: Smarter every day: Slo-mo flipping cats -- Why do cats land on their feet? [View all]xocet
(3,870 posts)27. Here is something that you might find interesting...
Why is the instrumental of what:
HWÝ, hwí; inst. of hwæt. WHY. I. in direct questions :-- Interrogativa synd áxigendlíce cur hwí, Ælfc. Gr. 38; Som. 40, 58. Hwí didest ðú ðæt quare hoc fecisti? Gen. 3, 13: Mt. Kmbl. 9, 11. Hwý sceal ic æfter his hyldo þeówian? Cd. 15; Th. 18, 33; Gen. 282. II. in dependent clauses :-- Se wísa Augustinus smeáde hwí se hálga cýðere cwæ-acute;de ... the wise Augustine inquired why the holy martyr said ..., Homl. Th. i. 48, 10. Eall ðæra Iudéiscra teóna árás þurh ðæt hwí Drihten Crist seðe æfter flæ-acute;sce sóðlíce is mannes sunu eác swilce wæ-acute;re gecweden Godes sunu all the quarrel of the Jews had its origin from this, why Christ, who according to the flesh is truly the son of man, should also be called the son of God, 16. Ðá áscade hé Æðelm hwý hit him ryht ne þuhte ðæt we him gereaht hæfden then he asked Æthelm why that did not seem right to him which we had arranged for him, Chart. Th. 171, 12. Ða oðre ða ðe ðæ-acute;r næ-acute;ron þurh gewrite atíwdon hwí hí ðæ-acute;r beón ne mihton the others who were not there shewed by letter why they could not be there, Chr. 1070; Erl. 206, 6. v. hwá.
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0578.html
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0578.html
How is an adverb:
HÚ; adv. How. I. in direct questions :-- Hú mæg man ingán on stranges hús quomodo potest quisquam intrare in domum fortis? Mt. Kmbl. 12, 29: 34. Hú ne synt gé sélran ðonne hig nonne vos magis plures estis illis? 6, 26: 25. Hú sculon wit nú libban how are we to live? Cd. 38; Th. 50, 7; Gen. 805. II. in exclamations [see also I] :-- Hú la! ne gewearþ unc tó ánum peninge how now! was not our agreement for a penny? Th. An. 74, 20. Hú gód is éce God quam bonus
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0564.html
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0564.html
This is also interesting:
hú-meta; adv. How, in what manner; quomodo :-- Húmeta eodest ðú in quomodo intrasti? Mt. Kmbl. 22, 12, Húmeta bitst ðú æt mé drincan quomodo bibere a me poscis? Jn. Skt. 4, 9. Húmeta bodaþ hé [Paul] Cristes geleáfan? Homl. Th. i. 388, 2. Nú is tó besceáwigenne húmeta se ælmihtiga God geþafaþ ðæt ... now it is to be considered how it is that the almighty God permits that ..., 486, 17. Ðú sæ-acute;dest ðæt ðú ne mihte witan húmeta hé his weólde oððe hú hé his weólde you said that you could not see in what manner or by what means he governed it [the world]; quibus gubernaculis mundus regatur, Bt. 35, 2; Fox 156, 25.
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0565.html
http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/html/oe_bosworthtoller/b0565.html
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Smarter every day: Slo-mo flipping cats -- Why do cats land on their feet? [View all]
1monster
Dec 2013
OP
The answer to "Why" is because it is safer than landing on their back.
Bernardo de La Paz
Dec 2013
#1
English is flexible, but it means what it means. And there is always Pope.
Bernardo de La Paz
Dec 2013
#8
That's how they are able to * choose * to fall on their feet, not * why * they choose to do so.
Bernardo de La Paz
Dec 2013
#11
OMG, the OP is shocked that teaching is happening in their teaching thread. nt
Bernardo de La Paz
Dec 2013
#18
Thank you. Hadn't heard of hu-meta construct, & Old English of how and why also interesting. nt
Bernardo de La Paz
Dec 2013
#28
I don't know if they enjoy it or not, but I was surprised by the cat's willingness
1monster
Dec 2013
#7