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xocet

(3,870 posts)
27. Here is something that you might find interesting...
Sun Dec 29, 2013, 01:08 AM
Dec 2013

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


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


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
The answer to "Why" is because it is safer than landing on their back. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #1
Now that you've shown your superiority... 1monster Dec 2013 #3
(on edit) OK, I get it now. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #4
Since the English language is very flexible, 1monster Dec 2013 #6
English is flexible, but it means what it means. And there is always Pope. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #8
"Why do cats fall on their feet?" 1monster Dec 2013 #10
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
didactic 1monster Dec 2013 #17
OMG, the OP is shocked that teaching is happening in their teaching thread. nt Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #18
Here is something that you might find interesting... xocet Dec 2013 #27
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
You're welcome. n/t xocet Dec 2013 #30
Hard to believe cats enjoy this activity. mahannah Dec 2013 #2
I go to work every weekday. I don't enjoy that either. nt valerief Dec 2013 #5
You're a cat? mahannah Dec 2013 #9
He looks like a dog to me Sanity Claws Dec 2013 #20
I don't know if they enjoy it or not, but I was surprised by the cat's willingness 1monster Dec 2013 #7
Next up: Airborn cats from a hose. Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2013 #15
Strap a piece of buttered toast to its back and run a wire... malthaussen Dec 2013 #12
Only if you put the buttered side on the outside Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #13
. . . and an anti-gravity device. tclambert Dec 2013 #21
it's evolutions defense against asshole cat droppers lame54 Dec 2013 #14
LOL!!!!!!!! meti57b Dec 2013 #16
---- 1monster Dec 2013 #19
+11 Hissyspit Dec 2013 #26
Cat coughs up hairballs in "scientist's" bed in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . tclambert Dec 2013 #22
Cat leaves gift in scientist's shoes n/t TexasBushwhacker Dec 2013 #23
A little something called graviteh Blue Owl Dec 2013 #24
I understand that cats don't always land on their feet n/t ailsagirl Dec 2013 #25
If there ever was a "WTF?" expression... KansDem Dec 2013 #29
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