Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Why this is so for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is Why-This-Is-So — phrase, pronounced /waɪ ðɪs ɪz səʊ/, with the stress on Why.
Narrator: It functions as an inquiry into the fundamental underlying reasoning or justification for a specific situation or state of affairs.
Narrator: In plain English, it is the sophisticated way of asking for the explicit explanation or the logic behind something.
Narrator: The phrase is a compound construction combining standard interrogative and demonstrative pronouns to isolate a cause.
Narrator: A common collocation is clarify why this is so, often used to seek transparency in professional hierarchies.
Narrator: It differs from the simple why, as it demands a comprehensive justification rather than a mere surface-level cause.
Narrator: It often appears in formal reports to address the root causes of systemic failures or unexpected trends.
Narrator: Philosophy, legal analysis, and technical diagnostics rely heavily on this precise inquiry to reach valid conclusions.
Narrator: So remember: use this phrase when you require a detailed and logical breakdown of a situation.
Speaker A: Is it considered formal to ask someone to explain why this is so during a meeting?
Speaker B: Absolutely, using WHY-THIS-IS-SO, a phrase derived from Old English interrogatives, signals a serious intellectual engagement.
Speaker A: Should I pair it with other words to ensure I do not sound too clinical?
Speaker B: Yes, pairing it with please or kindly adds a polite touch that maintains the professional rhythm.
Speaker A: Can you provide some example sentences for context?
Speaker B: We need to understand why this is so regarding the budget cuts; the team must know why this is so before we proceed; please explain why this is so in your report. These cover investigative, proactive, and formal requests.
Speaker A: Are there any common mistakes I should avoid?
Speaker B: Avoid dropping the final word, as just asking why loses the specific focus on the systemic justification.
Speaker A: Could you list some close relatives for variety?
Speaker B: The cousin is the reason why, the twin is the rationale behind it, and the alternative is the basis for this, which keeps its analytical charm!
Speaker B: Let's use why-this-is-so in AI prompts — useful for debugging complex software errors and auditing automated decision-making processes.
Speaker A: How do I apply this to a code review?
Speaker B: You can use it to force the AI to explain the logic behind a refactoring suggestion.
Prompt: Review this function and explain why this is so regarding the specific memory allocation pattern you proposed.
Speaker A: What about when I am documenting a project's architecture?
Speaker B: It helps in creating a comprehensive technical manual that traces back every design choice.
Prompt: Analyze the current system architecture and detail why this is so in terms of scalability and security tradeoffs.
Speaker A: Can this work for troubleshooting user interface issues?
Speaker B: Yes, it uncovers the reasoning behind specific layout behaviors.
Prompt: Examine this CSS flexbox configuration and clarify why this is so in relation to the overlapping elements on mobile devices.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Use it for data analysis to understand statistical anomalies.
Prompt: Investigate the sudden drop in database performance and explain why this is so based on the provided logs.
Why this is so — meaning in Arabic & definition More W courses GL Dictionary