MSN: IVV, VOO, SPY, FXAIX – how do I pick one, and does it really matter? IVV, VOO, SPY, FXAIX – how do I pick one, and does it really matter? "why" can be compared to an old Latin form qui, an ablative form, meaning how.

Understanding the Context

Today "why" is used as a question word to ask the reason or purpose of something. This use might be explained from a formula such as "How does it come that ...". If you meet an old friend of yours, whom you never expected to meet in town, you can express your surprise by saying: Why, it's Jim! This why in the ...

Key Insights

I don't know why, but it seems to me that Bob would sound a bit strange if he said, "Why is it that you have to get going?" in that situation. Why is a just a rather odd wh -word. Its distribution is very limited -- it can only have the word reason as its antecedent, and since it's never the subject it's always deletable. Consequently it behaves strangely, as you and others point out. Why should, asks what you think are aspects or POTENTIAL aspects of the career that would cause a young professional to desire it.

Final Thoughts

If this was a conversation as to how to increase the number of people in the field the answer could include aspects that do not currently exist. While the aspect could exist in potential, it would have to be real. Why have a letter in a word when it’s silent in pronunciation, like the b in debt? Can anyone please clarify my uncertainty here?