The reason why

[Glizdka]

It sounds redundant to me to say "It's the reason why (...)"

I hear this structure all the time from native speakers, yet I think it should be either "It's the reason (...)" or "It's why (...)". "It's the reason why (...)" sounds redundant.

What do you think?

A: "It's the reason I don't believe in ancient aliens."
B: "It's why I don't believe in ancient aliens."
C: "It's the reason why I don't believe in ancient aliens."

 

[jutfrank]

I wouldn't use it or teach it, but I probably wouldn't correct a learner, either, as it's so natural.

 

[emsr2d2]

I still actively tell people it's tautologous.

 

[5jj]

... it's tautologous.

I agree. The reason why I don't like it is because it's tautologous, redundant and needlessly repetitive.

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't decide if it annoys me more or less than "I personally think ...".

 

[5jj]

I literally agree.

 

[Annabel Lee]

"It's the reason why (...)" sounds redundant.y

Do you feel the same way about "the time when" and "the place where"? Though equally redundant, they sound better to me than "the reason why" in examples like yours. In my opinion, "the reason why" sounds fine and is not redundant (or not egregiously so) when it stands by itself, introducing ellipsis:

A: Yesterday, they shut down the whole system for three hours.​

B: Yes. Do you know the reason why? [= the reason why they shut down the system for three hours]​

​

Speaker B's reply indicates that there is a specific reason he has in mind. If he responded with "Do you know why?" instead, the question would be more open-ended and would allow for many reasons. If he responded with "Do you know the reason?," there would be no ellipsis and the question might be a little confusing for Speaker A.

 

[5jj]

A: Yesterday, they shut down the whole system for three hours.

B: Yes. Do you know the reason why? [= the reason why they shut down the system for three hours]​

​

Speaker B's reply indicates that there is a specific reason he has in mind.

What evidence have you for this conclusion?

If he responded with "Do you know why?" instead, the question would be more open-ended and would allow for many reasons.

Your evidence?

If he responded with "Do you know the reason?," there would be no ellipsis and the question might be a little confusing for Speaker A.

Confusing in what way?

 

[Annabel Lee]

What evidence have you for this conclusion?

Your evidence?

Confusing in what way?

1. "The reason" refers to one reason, not to more than one.
2. "Do you know why?" allows for one reason or more than one reason.
3. "The reason" does not so obviously tie back to the previous statement.

 

[Tait-ka]

What evidence have you for this conclusion?

Sorry, but I think it should be "What evidence do you have...?"

 

[5jj]

Sorry, but I think it should be "What evidence do you have...?"

Please don't tell me how I should speak the language I have been speaking for nearly eighty years, studying for nearly seventy, and teaching for nearly sixty.

 

[Tait-ka]

Please don't tell me how I should speak the language I have been speaking for nearly eighty years, studying for nearly seventy, and teaching for nearly sixty.

I didn't mean to be rude. I thought you made a mistake. So I commented.
Please don't get angry.

 

[emsr2d2]

What evidence have you for this conclusion?

Sorry, but I think it should be "What evidence do you have...?"

You've seen 5jj's response to this but I'd just like to add that there is a generational aspect to this usage. 5jj has already mentioned his impressive number of decades on this planet so I hope he won't mind my bringing age into it. My father, who is almost 90, and my late grandfather, who was born in 1921, both use[d] this word order in "have" questions. By the time I blessed/cursed the planet with my presence, it had fallen out of favour and we were taught to use the auxiliary "do" in such questions. These days, most people under 60 would probably view the word order in question as old-fashioned and are unlikely to use it themselves. It is grammatically correct but I don't suggest you use it!

 

[5jj]

I didn't mean to correct you. I thought you made a mistake. So I commented.

It might have been more tactful to ask rather than comment.

Please don't get angry.

At my age I have earnt the right to be tetchy.

 

[5jj]

These days, most people under 60 would probably view the word order in question as old-fashioned and are unlikely to use it themselves.

I agree.

It is grammatically correct

That was the reason for my tetchy response.

but I don't suggest you use it!

I agree.

 

[Annabel Lee]

Sorry, but I think it should be "What evidence do you have...?"

You haven’t this dialect, have you, Tait-ka?

 

[Glizdka]

Do you feel the same way about "the time when" and "the place where"? Though equally redundant, they sound better to me than "the reason why" in examples like yours.

Hmmm... I guess they feel similarly redundant. Now you've got me thinking of the moment when, the day when, and the [time unit] when in general. I think I need to think more about what I think about them.

As for the place where, I don't think I use it; not consciously anyway. When I've already used a word that refers to a place, I usually prefer at which, in which, on which, and the like. I find them more elegant.

"This is the topic in which Annabel Lee pointed out that the time when and the place where might be equally redundant".

I'll come back to it later, after I've given it some more thought.

In my opinion, "the reason why" sounds fine and is not redundant (or not egregiously so) when it stands by itself, introducing ellipsis:

A: Yesterday, they shut down the whole system for three hours.​

B: Yes. Do you know the reason why? [= the reason why they shut down the system for three hours]​

​

Speaker B's reply indicates that there is a specific reason he has in mind. If he responded with "Do you know why?" instead, the question would be more open-ended and would allow for many reasons. If he responded with "Do you know the reason?," there would be no ellipsis and the question might be a little confusing for Speaker A.

1. "The reason" refers to one reason, not to more than one.
2. "Do you know why?" allows for one reason or more than one reason.
3. "The reason" does not so obviously tie back to the previous statement.

I can't say I'm confident that I understand what you mean, but it does feel reasonable. The more I think about it, though, the more I experience semantic satiation.

 

[Glizdka]

That was the reason for my tetchy response.

I'm sorry, but I think it should be "That was the reason why I responded so tetchily".