Thread: "How come"
View Single Post
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 27-Oct-2006, 14:43
BobK's Avatar
BobK BobK is offline
Moderator
  
Join Date: Jul 2006
Country: England (South East)
Posts: 6,048
Current Location: England (South East)
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 91
Thanked 1,031 Times in 911 Posts
BobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud ofBobK has much to be proud of
Default Re: "How come"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anna Xpomoba View Post
Bobk,
Thank you for the reply. I would be grateful if you could give me some more details.
Anna
Well, Online Etymology Dictionary dates "How come?" to 1848, and my daughter's German dictionary gives me the phrase Wie Kommt es? (with the same meaning). So my guess that this phrased was introduced into AmE by German immigrants (whence it spread to BE) isn't disproved by the facts.

b
Reply With Quote